Metal- and Additive-Free Synthesis of α-Hydroxyamino Ketones Enabled by Organophotocatalyst

We report herein a straightforward method for the synthesis of α-hydroxyamino ketones, which involves the benzoylation reaction of nitrones with 2-benzoyl-2-phenylbenzothiazoline under organophotocatalysis. This method offers access to a variety α-hydroxyamino ketones without the use of any transition-metal catalyst or base. Control experiments suggested that the reaction proceeded through a benzoyl radical addition to nitrone. Benzothiazoline was found to be a more suitable radical precursor than Hantzsch ester.