Visible‐Light‐Induced Cross‐Dehydrogenative Coupling of N ‐Sulfonyl Ketimines With Alkanes and Ethers

A visible light‐induced cross‐dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) strategy has been developed for the direct CH alkylation of N ‐sulfonyl ketimines using readily available alkanes and ethers as alkyl sources. Employing 2‐chloroanthraquinone as an organic photocatalyst and atmospheric oxygen as a green terminal oxidant, the reaction proceeds efficiently under visible light irradiation at room temperature without the need for external metal catalysts, stoichiometric oxidants, or additives. This protocol enables the synthesis of a diverse range of 4‐alkylated sulfonyl ketimines with functional group compatibility. Mechanistic studies indicate that the reaction proceeds via a radical pathway involving a hydrogenatom transfer (HAT) process.