N-aminopyridinium salts as precursors for N-centered radicals--direct amidation of arenes and heteroarenes.

Readily prepared N-aminopyridinium salts are valuable precursors for the generation of N-centered radicals. Reduction of these salts by single electron transfer allows for clean generation of amidyl radicals. It is shown that direct radical C-H amination of heteroarenes and arenes can be achieved with N-aminopyridinium salts under mild conditions by using photoredox catalysis.