Single electron transfer reductive cleavage of the aryl-nitrogen bond in phenyl-substituted dimethylanilines

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(99)01758-X

By treatment with Li metal in THF at room temperature the three isomeric N,N-dimethylaminobiphenyls and N,N-dimethyl-2,6-diphenylaniline underwent 100% regioselective reductive cleavage of the aryl-N bond, affording biphenyl and meta-terphenyl, respectively, in various yields.