Highly efficient direct visible-light-mediated oxidative esterification of aldehydes

A very efficient one-pot procedure for the direct oxidation of aldehydes to esters mediated by visible-light is presented. Utilizing a combination of indium triflate and N -bromosuccinimide, NBS, with either ortho -esters or alcohols provided rapid access to a variety of esters. Certain substrates convert fully within a few seconds, other more challenging tert -butyl esters were formed in good yield after no more than 4 h. Graphical abstract