Photoinduced SET phthalimidation of unactivated double bonds and its application to the synthesis of protected phenethylamines

Phthalimide, in equilibrium with its conjugate base, adds photochemically to cyclohexene and aryl-substituted alkenes (photophthalimidation). The efficient, predictable regioselective photophthalimidation of styrenes constitutes a synthetically useful process for the preparation of N-phenethyl-phthalimides. A possible mechanism for the photophthalimidation involves the nucleophilic attack of phthalimide anion on the alkene cation-radical generated by single electron transfer to excited phthalimide.