Synthesis of new class of alkyl azarene pyridinium zwitterions via iodine mediated sp3 C-H bond activation.

An efficient and conceptually different approach toward C-H bond activation by using iodine mediated sp(3) C-H functionalization for the synthesis of alkyl azaarene pyridinium zwitterions is described. This work has the interesting distinction of being the first synthesis of a new class of alkyl azaarene pyridinium zwitterion via transition-metal-free sp(3) C-H bond activation of an alkyl azaarene.