FeCl2-promoted cleavage of the unactivated C-C bond of alkylarenes and polystyrene: direct synthesis of arylamines.

Ironing it out: an efficient and convenient nitrogenation strategy involving C-C bond cleavage for the straightforward synthesis of versatile arylamines is presented. Various alkyl azides and alkylarenes, including the common industrial by-product cumene, react using this protocol. Moreover, this method provides a potential strategy for the degradation of polystyrene.