9-Fluorenone as a photosensitizer for nickel-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling of aryl halides with alkyl iodides.

A visible-light-driven nickel-catalyzed cross-electrophile coupling of aryl halides with alkyl iodides has been developed using 9-fluorenone (FLN) as an inexpensive organic photosensitizer. The readily available FLN/diisopropylethylamine system enables C(sp2)-C(sp3) bond formation in moderate to high yields under mild conditions. The reaction accommodates aryl iodides, bromides, and chlorides as well as a range of primary and secondary alkyl iodides, while avoiding precious-metal photocatalysts and stoichiometric metal reductants. This study establishes FLN as a practical photosensitizer for nickel-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling.