Deaminative Strategy for the Visible‐Light‐Mediated Generation of Alkyl Radicals

Radical Cut. A deaminative strategy for the visible light-mediated generation of alkyl radicals from redox-activated primary amine precursors is described. Abundant and inexpensive primary amine feedstocks, including amino acids, were converted in a single step into redox-active pyridinium salts and subsequently into alkyl radicals by reaction with an excited-state photocatalyst. The broad synthetic potential of this protocol was demonstrated in the alkylation of a number of heteroarenes under mild and operationally simple conditions.