Recent advances in light-induced direct decarboxylative halogenation catalyzed by earth-abundant metals and organic photocatalysts.

In recent decades, carboxylic acids have emerged as attractive radical precursors owing to their non-toxic nature, stability, low cost, and widespread availability. Through favorable radical decarboxylation processes, carbon dioxide is seamlessly eliminated as a traceless byproduct, enabling the generation of nucleophilic carbon radicals with high efficiency. This strategy facilitates functional group transformations and the construction of high-value molecules with exceptional chemoselectivity and regioselectivity. This review summarizes recent progress in the direct utilization of carboxylic acids as convenient radical precursors for the synthesis of halides via photoinduced decarboxylative halogenation, catalyzed by earth-abundant metals and organic photocatalysts. Additionally, this review highlights the prevailing challenges, emerging opportunities, and future directions in the field of decarboxylative halogenation.