Photoorganocatalytic Hydroacylation of Unactivated Olefins Utilizing Naphthaloylidenebenzimidazole (NBI) as the Catalyst

Selective C–H activation is gaining prominence as a valuable strategy in synthetic chemistry. The metal-free C–H activation of aldehydes to promote the hydroacylation of electron-deficient alkenes offers a promising approach for C–C bond formation. However, achieving selectivity, particularly with α,α-disubstituted aldehydes, remains challenging. In this study, we present a green, cost-effective, and easily reproducible method for the selective hydroacylation of alkenes. This process employs naphthaloylidenebenzimidazole (NBI) as the photocatalyst under blue LED irradiation, yielding products with excellent selectivity and efficiency.