Photo-induced Substitutive Introduction of the Aldoxime Functional Group to Carbon Chains: A Formal Formylation of Non-Acidic C(sp(3) )-H Bonds.

A photo-induced substitutive introduction of an aldoxime functional group to carbon chains was achieved using photo-excited 4-benzoylpyridine as a C(sp(3) )-H bond cleaving agent and arylsulfonyl oxime as an aldoxime precursor. The non-acidic C-H bonds in various substances, including cycloalkanes, ethers, azacycles, and cyclic sulfides, were chemoselectively converted at ambient temperature under neutral conditions. The present transformation is a formal formylation of non-acidic C(sp(3) )-H bonds in a single step.