Crossed intermolecular 2+2 cycloaddition of styrenes by visible light photocatalysis

We report a method for the crossed [2 + 2] cycloaddition of styrenes using visible light photocatalysis. Few methods for the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted cyclobutanes by photochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition are known. We show that careful tuning of the electrochemical properties of a ruthenium photocatalyst enable the efficient crossed [2 + 2] cycloaddition of styrenes upon irradiation with visible light. We outline the logic that enables high crossed chemoselectivity, and we also demonstrate that this reaction is remarkably efficient; gram-scale reactions can be conducted with as little as 0.025 mol% of the photocatalyst.