Photocatalytic Intramolecular Alkene Hydroamination of N -Alkoxy Ureas: An Approach to Imidazolinones.

Imidazolinones were obtained in good yields by intramolecular hydroamination of N -alkoxy ureas in the presence of an organic photocatalyst and an inorganic base. In this reaction, the N -alkoxy urea anion generated by deprotonation undergoes photocatalyzed single-electron-transfer oxidation to generate the corresponding radical, which cyclizes to afford the imidazolinone ring. This new protocol grants access to an array of complex molecules containing a privileged imidazolinone core.