Copper-Photocatalyzed -Thermodynamic Isomerization of Polarized Alkenes.

The -thermodynamic isomerization of α- and β-substituted cinnamate derivatives catalyzed by the Cu(OAc)/-BINAP complex under blue light irradiation is reported. The use of an oxazolidinone template, which favored the complexation of the copper catalyst to the substrate, allowed the → isomerization of the catalytically formed chromophore under simple and robust reaction conditions in good to excellent ratios. The mechanism of this process based on the transient formation of a chromophore was also studied.