A concise method for cyclic gem-difluoroacyl scaffolds via visible-light-mediated redox-neutral cascade radical cyclization of alkenes

In this paper, a series of diverse alkenes were engaged in radical tandem cyclization initiated by a CF2 radical precursor via photoredox catalysis, affording various cyclic gem-difluoroacyl arenes in good to excellent yields. This photo-induced protocol features a redox-neutral process to access a variety of gem-difluoroacyl arenes with a broad substrate scope and the structural motifs are important in pharmaceutical and agrochemical products. The mechanistic paradigm has been proposed on the basis of control and Stern-Volmer analysis experiments.