The regioselective switch for amino-NHC mediated C-H activation of benzimidazole via Ni-Al synergistic catalysis.

We have disclosed a new mode of a chemically regioselective switch for C-H bond functionalization of benzimidazole derivatives via a cooperative effect invoked by Ni-Al bimetallic catalysis to create a steric requirement for obtaining the linear product of styrene insertion. Yet, excluding the AlMe(3) cocatalyst switches the reaction toward branch selectivity.