Visible light induced regioselective C-3 thiocyanation of imidazoheterocycles through naphthalimide dye based photoredox catalysis.

A visible light induced C-3 thiocyanation of imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridines by using a naphthalimide based photoredox catalyst has been reported. Tolerance of electron withdrawing and donating groups at different positions of the imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridine ring led to a wide substrate accessibility of this method. This methodology is further reproducible with other heterocycles like benzo[ d ]imidazo[2,1- b ]thiazoles, indoles, azaindoles, and anilines.