Photoinduced\nCross-Coupling of Trifluoromethylarenes\nwith Heteroarenes via Unactivated C(sp<sup>3</sup>)–F and C(sp<sup>2</sup>)–H Selective Cleavage

The installation of <i>gem</i>-difluoromethylene\ngroups\ninto two adjacent aryl groups is a formidable synthetic challenge\ndespite their attractive structural, physical, and biochemical properties.\nHerein, we disclose a photoredox-catalyzed selective defluoroarylation\nof heteroarenes through inert C(sp<sup>3</sup>)–F and C(sp<sup>2</sup>)–H selective cleavage, which provides a straightforward\nroute to access medicinally relevant aryl–heteroaryl or heteroaryl–heteroaryl\ndifluoromethane scaffolds. Salient features of this reaction include\nreadily accessible starting materials, metal-free conditions, and\nbroad substrate scope.