Divergent synthesis represents a powerful strategy for directly accessing different molecular scaffolds originating from the same starting materials. Access to different end products via transition-metal catalysis is conventionally achieved by ligand control. We herein demonstrate the use of ethylene feedstock and commercially available aryl halides to accomplish the divergent synthesis of 1,2-diarylethanes, 1,4-diarylbutanes, or 2,3-diarylbutanes in a highly selective fashion through the synergistic combination of nickel and photoredox catalysis. Mechanistic studies suggest that the observed selectivity was due to different active states of Ni(I) and Ni(0) modulated by Ru- and Ir-based photoredox catalysts, respectively. The ability to access different organometallic oxidation states via photoredox catalysis promises to inspire new perspectives for synergistic transition-metal-catalyzed divergent synthesis.

发散性合成代表了直接访问源自相同原料的不同分子支架的强大策略。通常通过配体控制来实现通过过渡金属催化获得不同终产物的途径。我们在本文中证明了使用乙烯原料和可商购的芳基卤化物通过镍和光氧化还原的协同组合以高度选择性的方式完成1,2-二芳基乙烷，1,4-二芳基丁烷或2,3-二芳基丁烷的发散合成。催化。机理研究表明，观察到的选择性是由于分别由基于Ru和Ir的光氧化还原催化剂调节的Ni（I）和Ni（0）的不同活性态引起的。