Native functionality in triple catalytic cross-coupling: sp 3 C–H bonds as latent nucleophiles

Abstract

A tip of the HAT to C-C bond formation Iridium and nickel are already a proven team for forging carbon-carbon bonds. The iridium harvests blue light from a simple light-emitting diode and orchestrates the coupling by the nickel. Shaw et al. now add a third player to the team, a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) catalyst (see the Perspective by Fruit). Together, the trio of catalysts can link bromo- or chloroaryl rings directly to C-H sites adjacent to nitrogen or oxygen, with no need for prior modification. The reaction is highly selective across a broad range of substrates. Science , this issue p. 1304 ; see also p. 1277