Nickel-catalyzed amination of aryl pivalates by the cleavage of aryl C-O bonds.

Catalytic amination: The title reaction demonstrates the use of aryl carboxylates as suitable electrophilic coupling substrates in catalytic amination reactions. N-heterocyclic carbene ligands and NaOtBu promote the amination of aryl pivalates through the cleavage of normally unreactive aryl carbon-oxygen bonds (see scheme; cod=cyclooctadiene).