Visible-Light-Promoted Cross-Coupling of N-Alkylpyridinium Salts and Nitrostyrenes

A stereoselective, denitrative cross-coupling of beta-nitrostyrenes with N-alkylpyridinium salts for the preparation of functionalized styrenes has been developed. The visible-light-induced reaction proceeds without any catalyst at ambient temperature. Broad in scope and tolerant to multiple functional groups, the moderately yielding transformation is orthogonal to several traditional metal-catalyzed cross-couplings.