Merging Photoredox/Nickel Catalysis for Cross-Electrophile Coupling of Aziridines with Pyridin-1-ium Salts via Dearomatization

Merging photoredox/nickel catalysis enabling the cross-electrophile coupling of aziridines with pyridin-1-ium salts involving dearomatization for the synthesis of β-(1,4-dihydropyridin-4-yl)-ethylamines, especially including bioactive motif-based analogues, is described. This method allows incorporation of a 1,4-dihydropyridin-4-yl group and formation a N–H amino group to construct highly valuable β-(1,4-dihydropyridin-4-yl)-ethylamine frameworks in a single step through the C2–N bond regioselective cleavage and dearomatization alkylation cascades with precise regioselectivity and excellent functional group tolerance, and represents an appealing cross-electrophile coupling strategy to accomplish transformations between two electrophiles, including aziridines and pyridin-1-ium salts, by avoiding prefunctionalization.