Polarity-Driven Thiyl\nRadical-Catalyzed Aerobic Debenzylation\nof Ethers and Amines

We report the use\nof a strongly electrophilic thiyl radical derived\nfrom commercially available pentafluorothiophenol as a demonstration\nof highly chemoselective H atom abstraction from electron-rich and\nrelatively weak benzylic C–H bonds adjacent to the O and N\natoms. This approach enables the selective oxidative removal of benzyl\nand <i>p</i>-methoxybenzyl groups from amines and ethers\nunder ambient aerobic conditions.