α-Arylation of Carbonyl Compounds through Oxidative C-C Bond Activation

A synthetically useful approach for the direct alpha-arylation of carbonyl compounds through a novel oxidative C-C bond activation is reported. This mechanistically unusual process relies on a 1,2-aryl shift and results in all-carbon quaternary centers. The transformation displays broad functional-group tolerance and can in principle also be applied as an asymmetric variant.