Synthesis of 1,4-Dicarbonyl Compounds from Silyl Enol Ethers and Bromocarbonyls, Catalyzed by an Organic Dye under Visible-Light Irradiation with Perfect Selectivity for the Halide Moiety over the Carbonyl Group.

We report the visible-light-induced radical coupling reaction of silyl enol ethers with α-bromocarbonyl compounds to give 1,4-dicarbonyls. The reaction was effectively accelerated using an inexpensive organic dye (eosin Y) as a photoredox catalyst. 1,4-Dicarbonyl compounds alone were afforded, without the generation of carbonyl adducts of the α-halocarbonyls, which are usually generated in the presence of fluoride anions or Lewis acids. A variety of silyl enol ethers, α-bromoketones, α-bromoesters, and α-bromoamides were applied to this system to produce the coupling compounds.