Decarboxylative photosubstitution of dicyanobenzenes with aliphatic carboxylate ions

The photoreaction of dicyanobenzenes with aliphatic carboxylate ions afforded alkylcyanobenzenes and alkyldicyanobenzenes via decarboxylative substitution. The redox-photosensitized reaction system was effective in improving the product yield. The efficiency of this photoreaction depended on the structure of the carboxylate ion, and the product distribution varied with the dicyanobenzenes employed. This photoreaction was proved to be a clean process for the preparation of alkylcyanobenzenes.