Oxidatively induced C-H activation at high valent nickel

This communication describes a series of oxidatively induced intramolecular arene C–H activation reactions of Ni^II model complexes to yield Ni^IV σ-aryl products. These reactions proceed within 10 min at room temperature, which represents among the mildest conditions reported for C–H cleavage at a Ni center. A combination of density functional theory and preliminary experimental mechanistic studies implicate a pathway involving initial 2e^– oxidation of the Ni^II starting materials by the F⁺ transfer reagent N-fluoro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridinium triflate followed by triflate-assisted C–H cleavage at Ni^IV to yield the products.