Photodecarboxylative cyclizations of ω-phthalimido-ortho-phenoxy carboxylates

ω-Phthalimido-ortho-phenoxy carboxylates efficiently undergo photodecarboxylative cyclizations in reasonable to good yields of 12–75%. Although the photocyclization efficiency decreases with increasing carbon chain lengths, target ring sizes up to 15 are successfully realized. Likewise, intermolecular photodecarboxylative additions of ω-phenoxy carboxylates to N-methyl phthalimide give hydroxyphthalimidines in yields of 45–73%.