Regioselective Hydrodeoxygenation of -Diketones with Phosphites under Visible-Light Catalysis

Novel regioselective hydrodeoxygenation of alpha-diketones with phosphites as the deoxygenation reagent was realized via visible-light photoredox catalysis. Broad substrate scope and high functional group compatibility were obtained. Unsymmetric alpha-diketones were selectively reduced at the carbonyls of higher electrophilicity. This unique regioselectivity compared with available methods makes it a practical complementary approach for the monohydrodeoxygenation of alpha-diketones.