Metal-free arylation of benzene and pyridine promoted by amino-linked nitrogen heterocyclic carbenes

Abstract

An amino-linked nitrogen heterocyclic carbene (amino-NHC), 1-tBu, has been shown to mediate carbon–carbon coupling through the direct C–H functionalization of benzene and pyridine in the absence of a metal catalyst. Using EPR, the first spectroscopic evidence corroborating the single electron transfer mechanism for the metal-free carbon–carbon coupling manifold, as reported by others, is introduced.