Thiol Catalyzed Aerobic Debenzylation of Alcohols and Amines

We report a radical method for the removal of benzyl and p-methoxybenzyl groups from amines and alcohols using a selec-tive hydrogen-atom abstraction under aerobic conditions. The key usage of the strongly electrophilic thiyl radical derived from commercially available pentafluorothiophenol allowed for a chemoselective abstraction process leading to C-N or C-O bond cleavage. This approach is applicable to an array of alcohols and amines without addition of a stoichiometric external oxidant or hazardous reagents.