The Regioselective Switch for Amino-NHC Mediated C–H Activation of Benzimidazole via Ni–Al Synergistic Catalysis

Abstract

We have disclosed a new mode of a chemically regioselective switch for C–H bond functionalization of benzimidazole derivatives via a cooperative effect invoked by Ni–Al bimetallic catalysis to create a steric requirement for obtaining the linear product of styrene insertion. Yet, excluding the AlMe₃ cocatalyst switches the reaction toward branch selectivity