Visible-Light Photocatalyzed Deoxygenation of N-Heterocyclic N-Oxides

A scalable and operationally simple method is described that allows for the chemoselective deoxygenation of a wide range of N-heterocyclic N-oxides (a total of 36 examples). This visible-light-induced protocol features the use of only commercially available reagents, room-temperature conditions, and unprecedented chemoselective removal of the oxygen atom in a quinoline N-oxide in the presence of a pyridine N-oxide in the same molecule through the judicious selection of a photocatalyst.