Fig. 1: Existing methods and anti-Friedel–Crafts coupling established in this work.
From: Anti-Friedel–Crafts alkylation via electron donor–acceptor photoinitiation
a, Literature strategies for the alkylation of electron-poor aromatics4,6,8,10. b, General strategy for neutral radical formation via electron donor–acceptor complex excitation and fragmentation using a redox auxiliary14,15,16. c, This work: a general metal-free, photocatalyst-free approach for sp2–sp3 coupling via an EDA complex-triggered radical mechanism propagated by radical anion autocatalysis. A, carbon or nitrogen; R, alkyl; BET, back electron transfer; SET, single-electron transfer; EWG, electron-withdrawing group; [Ox], oxidant.
