Visible light-promoted alkylation of electron-deficient alkenes with alkylsilyl peroxides

We report a photochemical approach for the generation of alkyl radicals from alkylsilyl peroxides (ASPs) in the absence of any transition metal or photocatalyst. This operationally simple protocol utilizes Hantzsch ester as a photoreductant to efficiently induce the OO bond cleavage of various ASPs via single-electron transfer, generating the corresponding alkyl radicals under mild conditions. The radicals generated by this method participate in a Giese-type addition with a wide range of electron-deficient alkenes. This study broadens the methods by which radicals can be generated from ASPs, and thus improves their applicability and versatility in the field of radical chemistry.