Cross-Electrophile Coupling of Unactivated Alkyl Chlorides

Abstract

Alkyl chlorides are bench-stable chemical feedstocks that remain among the most underutilized electrophile classes in transition metal catalysis. Overcoming intrinsic limitations of C(sp³)-Cl bond activation, we report the development of a novel organosilane reagent that can participate in chlorine atom abstraction under mild photocatalytic conditions. In particular, we describe the application of this mechanism to a dual nickel/photoredox catalytic protocol that enables the first cross-electrophile coupling of unactivated alkyl chlorides and aryl chlorides. Employing these low-toxicity, abundant, and commercially available organochloride building blocks, this methodology allows access to a broad array of highly functionalized C(sp²)-C(sp³) coupled adducts, including numerous drug analogues.