Enantioselective, Visible Light Mediated Aza Paternò–Büchi Reactions of Quinoxalinones

3-Substituted quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones and various aryl-substituted or tethered olefins underwent an enantioselective, inter- or intramolecular aza Paternò–Büchi reaction upon irradiation at λ=420 nm in the presence of a chiral sensitizer (10 mol %). For the intermolecular reaction with 1-arylethenes as olefin components, the scope of the reaction was studied (14 examples, 50–99 % yield, 86–98 % ee). The absolute and relative configuration of the products were elucidated by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The reaction is suggested to occur by triplet energy transfer in a hydrogen-bonded 1:1 complex between the imine substrate and the catalyst. The intramolecular cycloaddition, consecutive reactions of the product azetidines, and an alternative reaction mode of quinoxalinones were investigated in preliminary experiments.