A visible light driven, metal-free route to aromatic amides via radical arylation of isonitriles

The photochemical metal-free carboamidation of aryl radicals has been exploited for the preparation of aromatic amides, including heteroand polyaromatic derivatives, under visible light irradiation of arylazo sulfones in the presence of isocyanides in aqueous acetonitrile. The process was useful for the smooth preparation of the antidepressant moclobemide.