Nickel-Catalyzed Photoredox-Mediated Cross-Coupling of Aryl Electrophiles and Aryl Azides

Medicinally relevant diarylamines are prepared through a photoredox-mediated dual catalytic nickel/ruthenium system from aryl azides and aryl electrophiles. Photoreduction of the aryl azide is proposed to proceed through an arylnickel-azide complex, which upon reduction and loss of nitrogen, generates a nickel(III) species capable of facile reductive elimination to afford the desired C–N bond formation. A variety of functionalized (hetero)aryl electrophiles are shown to participate in the coupling, including iodides, bromides, chlorides, and triflates. The reactions are simple to set up and are performed under ambient conditions, without the exclusion of oxygen or moisture.