New synthetic strategies based on photoinduced halogen-atom transfer (XAT)

The generation of carbon radicals from alkyl and aryl halides via halogen-atom transfer (XAT) represents an effective tool to access versatile intermediates for organic synthesis. Although the field has been classically dominated by methods relying on the use of hazardous reagents under thermal conditions, the development of new photochemical conditions to promote XAT reactions has represented a breakthrough in the field, enabling unprecedented transformations featuring high chemoselectivity under mild conditions. Here is described a compilation of general aspects and guidelines to understand this type of reactivity, as well as an overview of relevant recent advances on new synthetic strategies based on photoinduced XAT.