Transition-metal-free oxyarylation of alkenes with aryl diazonium salts and TEMPONa.

The reaction of readily available TEMPONa with aryl diazonium salts allows for clean generation of the corresponding aryl radicals along with TEMPO. Aryl radical addition to alkenes with subsequent TEMPO trapping provides the corresponding oxyarylation products in good to excellent yields. These experimentally easy to conduct transformations occur in the absence of any transition metal under mild conditions, and the process shows broad functional group compatibility.