The past decade has witnessed the rapid development of radical generation strategies and their applications in C–C bond-forming reactions. Most of these processes require initiators, transition metal catalysts or organometallic reagents. Herein, we report the discovery of a simple organic system (2-azaallyl anions) that enables radical coupling reactions under transition-metal-free conditions. Deprotonation of N-benzyl ketimines generates semi-stabilized 2-azaallyl anions that behave as “super-electron-donors” (SEDs) and reduce aryl iodides and alkyl halides to aryl and alkyl radicals. The SET process converts the 2-azaallyl anions into persistent 2-azaallyl radicals, which capture the aryl and alkyl radicals to form C–C bonds. The radical coupling of aryl and alkyl radicals with 2-azaallyl radicals makes possible the synthesis of functionalized amine derivatives without the use of exogenous radical initiators or transition metal catalysts. Radical clock studies and 2-azaallyl anion coupling studies provide mechanistic insight for this unique reactivity.
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