Chromium-Catalyzed Direct Conversion of Ethers to Aryl-Substituted Alkenes.

We report a Cr-catalyzed strategy that enables the direct transformation of ethers into aryl-substituted alkenes via a radical-organometallic crossover pathway. This protocol furnishes aryl-substituted homoallylic alcohols with high regioselectivity when tetrahydrofuran is used, while acyclic ethers undergo selective C-H/C-O bond activation to afford styrene derivatives. Mechanistic studies, including radical trapping and deuterium labeling experiments, support the involvement of aryl radicals and organochromium intermediates.