Photo-Ni-Dual-Catalytic C(sp2)–C(sp3) Cross-Coupling Reactions with Mesoporous Graphitic Carbon Nitride as a Heterogeneous Organic Semiconductor Photocatalyst

The synergistic combination of a heterogeneous organic semiconductor mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (mpg-CN) and a homogeneous nickel catalyst with visible light irradiation at room temperature affords the C(sp2)‒C(sp3) cross coupling of aryl halides and potassium alkyl trifluoroborates by single electron transmetallation. Like the homogeneously catalysed protocol, the reaction is compatible with a variety of functional groups including electron donating and electron withdrawing aryl and heteroaryl moieties. Moreover, this protocol allows the installation of allyl groups enlarging the scope of the method. The heterogeneous mpg-CN photocatalyst is easily recovered from the reaction mixture and for several times reused paving the way for larger scale industrial applications of this type of photocatalytic bond forming reactions.