Reductive Cleavage of C–X or N–S Bonds Catalyzed by Super Organoreductant CBZ6

The reductive cleavage of C­(Ar)-X bonds is the key step for the cross coupling of Ar-X with other groups. In this work, under the irradiation of 407nm LEDs using sodium formate as reductant and thiol as hydrogen atom transfer agent, a variety of (hetero)­aryl chlorides, bromides, and iodides could be reduced to corresponding (hetero)­arenes. The key intermediates, aryl radicals, could be trapped by either hydrogen, phosphite, or borates. The same reduction conditions can be extended to the deprotection of sulfonamides.