The formation of electron donor–acceptor (EDA) complexes offers a powerful approach for photochemical synthesis but has rarely been applied to kinetic resolution. Now chiral phosphoric acids can form selective EDA complexes with one enantiomer for preferential photoactivation, triggering radical reduction and enantioselective bond formation to achieve kinetic resolution of racemic azaarene-based alcohols, amines and fluorides.
- Tianju Shao
- Zongxun Li
- Zhiyong Jiang