Synthesis of (diarylmethyl)amines using Ni-catalyzed arylation of C(sp3)–H bonds

The authors thank the ERC (Advanced Researcher award-FUNCAT), the EPSRC (grant no EP/J011053/1) and King Saud University for funding. SPN is a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award holder. The first nickel catalyzed deprotonative cross coupling between C(sp3)-H bonds and aryl chlorides is reported, allowing the challenging arylation of benzylimines in the absence of directing group or stoichiometric metal activation. This methodology represents a convenient access to the (diarylmethyl)amine moiety, which is widespread in pharmaceutically relevant compounds. Publisher PDF