Visible-light-driven nickel-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling of benzyltrimethylammonium triflates with aryl bromides

Abstract

Diarylmethanes are significant molecules in organic synthesis and play a vital role in pharmaceutical development. In this context, we successfully developed a visible-light-driven nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of readily available benzyltrimethylammonium triflates with aryl bromides, enabling the direct synthesis of various diarylmethane products without the need for metal-reducing agents. Mechanistic studies have revealed that benzyl radicals, generated through photocatalysis, may serve as key intermediates, offering a novel approach to the reductive coupling of organic quaternary ammonium salts.