Diaryl Ether Formation Merging Photoredox and Nickel Catalysis

Photoredox and Ni catalysis are combined to produce diaryl ethers under mild conditions. A broad range of aryl halides and phenol derivatives are cross-coupled in the presence of a readily available organic photocatalyst and NiBr₂(dtbpy). Symmetrical diaryl ethers have also been directly obtained from aryl bromides in the presence of water. Mechanistic investigations support the involvement of Ni(0) species at the outset of the reaction and a Ni(II)/Ni(III)-photocatalyzed single electron transfer process preceding the productive C(sp²)-OAr reductive elimination.