Photoredox Michael addition of phenylmalononitrile onto α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid

[Display omitted] •The direct Michael addition onto α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid was achieved.•The Michael addition proceeded under blue-light irradiation.•The appropriate nucleophile was phenylmalononitrile.•The Michael addition proceeded onto other α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. We report a methodology to achieve the direct Michael addition of 2-phenylmalononitrile onto α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds through a visible-light-induced photoredox reaction. A radical species, generated from the Michael nucleophile under blue-light irradiation in the presence of an acridinium catalyst, could connect to the β-carbon of the carbonyl substrate, to furnish γ, γ-dicyanocarboxylic acid derivatives in good yields.