Nickel-catalysed reductive C–N bond cross-coupling between aryl halides and N-chloroamides†

A method for the direct synthesis of N-aryl lactams and amides with aryl halides and N-chloroamides through a Ni-catalyzed reductive C–N coupling reaction has been developed. The reaction features the advantages of mild conditions, good functional group tolerance and broad substrate scope including drug-derived substrates, and also provided direct access to the key synthetic intermediates for some bioactive molecules, suggesting the practicability of this method. Finally, DFT calculations were performed to shed further light on the reaction mechanism and it was found that an amidyl radical might be involved.