Visible light-driven decarboxylative alkylation of azomethine imines with carboxylic acids

The alkylation of cyclic five-membered azomethine imines with carboxylic acids proceeds under irradiation with 400 nm light using a dual catalytic system consisting of 9-arylacridine and tetrabutylammonium decatungstate. Azomethine imines containing aromatic, heterocyclic and aliphatic groups are suitable for the process providing pyrazolidin-3-ones in 42–98% yields.