Photoredox Catalysis: Construction of Polyheterocycles via Alkoxycarbonylation/Addition/Cyclization Sequence

A novel visible-light-induced cascade reaction for the preparation of ester-functionalized polyheterocycles was developed under metal-free conditions, which was initiated by an intermolecular radical addition to a carbon–carbon double bond of N-arylacrylamide derivatives using alkyl carbazate as the ester source followed by cyano-mediated cyclization. The desired phenanthridine derivative products were isolated in moderate to high yields with broad substrate scope.