One-pot reduction of aryl iodides using 4-dmap methiodide salt

An efficient one-pot procedure is described for the reduction of aryl iodides to aryl anions using a structurally simple bis-pyridinylidene electron donor, prepared in situ by treating 4-DMAP methiodide salt with base. The results show (i) that pyridinylidene carbenes can be easily used for intermolecular C-C bond formation, (ii) that bis-pyridinylidenes demonstrate superior robustness compared to electron-donor systems based on bis-imidazolylidenes, and (iii) that electron-donor strength is enhanced in the simplified DMAP-based donor. Deuterated analogues of this donor also provide mechanistic information on the source of protons when the aryl anions are quenched in situ.