Metal-Catalyzed Dealkoxylative Caryl-Csp3 Cross-Coupling-Replacement of Aromatic Methoxy Groups of Aryl Ethers by Employing a Functionalized Nucleophile

The direct replacement of aromatic methoxy groups with activated carbon nucleophiles would give rise to novel synthetic pathways for targeted and diversity-oriented syntheses. We demonstrate here that this transformation can be achieved in a one-step reaction involving a bifunctional organolithium nucleophile in combination with a C-Ar-OMe bond-cleaving nickel catalyst. The resulting products are stable, alpha-CH active, and suitable for various further modifications.