Photoinduced homolytic decarboxylative acylation/cyclization of unactivated alkenes with α-keto acid under external oxidant and photocatalyst free conditions: access to quinazolinone derivatives.

A novel and green strategy for the synthesis of acylated quinazolinone derivatives via photo-induced decarboxylative cascade radical acylation/cyclization of quinazolinone bearing unactivated alkenes has been developed. The protocol provides a novel route to access acyl radicals from α-keto acids through a self-catalyzed energy transfer process. Most importantly, the reaction proceeded smoothly without any external photocatalyst, additive or oxidant, and could be easily scaled-up in flow conditions with sunlight irradiation.