Photodecarboxylative benzylations of phthalimides

Photoadditions of phenylacetates to phthalimides give the corresponding benzylated hydroxyphthalimidines in moderate to high yields of 29-90%. With 2-phenylpropanoate, photoaddition affords a diastereoisomeric mixture in a de of 24% in favour of the like-diastereoisomer. l-3-Phenyllactate and 2-oxo-3-phenylpropanoate both furnish the benzylated product through subsequent loss of formaldehyde and decarbonylation, respectively.