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The conventional thermal Sonogashira CC coupling reaction requires the use of a palladium catalyst and a large amount of ligands. Although there were a few reports describing the use of inexpensive metal catalysts, such as, copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni), for replacement of palladium (Pd) in the Sonogashira reactions, it was later questioned that the observed effects were due to ppb levels contamination of Pd present in the reagents used in the reactions. Herein, we report that simple copper(I) chloride (CuCl) salt, in the absence of Pd and ligands, can catalyze the Sonogashira reaction with high yields (80–99%) under blue LED light irradiation at room temperature. Control experiments show that no cross‐coupling product was formed, when palladium(II) chloride (PdCl2) was used to replace CuCl as a catalyst. A series of electron‐rich and electron‐poor substituted aryl halides (bromides and iodides) as well as aryl‐ and alkylacetylenes are examined and the reaction mechanism is discussed.

Direct oxidative coupling of phenols and terminal alkynes was achieved at room temperature by a visible-light-mediated copper-catalyzed photoredox process. This method allows regioselective synthesis of hydroxyl-functionalized aryl and alkyl ketones from simple phenols and phenylacetylene via C≡C triple bond cleavage. 47 examples were presented. From a synthetic perspective, this protocol offers an efficient synthetic route for the preparation of pharmaceutical drugs, such as pitofenone and fenofibrate.

Singlet O2 is a key reactive oxygen species responsible for photodynamic therapy and is generally recognized to be chemically reactive towards C=C double bonds. Herein, we report the hydroperoxidation/lactonization of α-ethereal C–H bonds by singlet O2 (1Δg) under exceptionally mild conditions, i.e., room temperature and ambient pressure, with modest to high yields (38~90%) and excellent site selectivity. Singlet O2 has been known for > 90 years, but was never reported to be able to react with weakly activated C–H bonds in saturated hydrocarbons. Theoretical calculations indicate that singlet O2 directly inserts into the α-ethereal C–H bond in one step with conservation of steric configuration in products. The current discovery of chemical reaction of singlet oxygen with weakly activated solvent C–H bonds, in addition to physical relaxation pathway, provides an important clue to a 35-year-old unresolved mystery regarding huge variations of solvent dependent lifetime of singlet O2.