Photo-Lewis Acid Generator Based on Radical-Free 6π Photo-Cyclization Reaction

We present here a new photo-active molecule which acts as a photo-Lewis acid generator (PLAG) based on photo-chemical 6π-percyclization. Photo-illumination of the PLAG molecule produces a condensed aromatic carbocation with a triflate counteranion, which exhibits Lewis acid chemical catalytic reactivity such as initiation of the polymerization of epoxy monomers and catalysis of Mukaiyama-aldol reactions. The terminal-end structure in the epoxy polymerization was modified with the Lewis acid fragment. The carbocation induced the Mukaiyama-aldol reaction as a new photo-gated system with remarkably high catalytic reactivity and turnover numbers higher than 60. The photo-chemical quantum yield of the carbocation generation is 50%, which is considerably higher than obtained with most Brønsted photo-acid generators.