N‑Aminopyridinium Salts as Precursors for N‑Centered Radicals – Direct Amidation of Arenes and Heteroarenes

Readily prepared N-aminopyridinium salts are valuable precursors for the generation of N-centered radicals. Reduction of these salts by single electron transfer allows for clean generation of amidyl radicals. It is shown that direct radical C–H amination of heteroarenes and arenes can be achieved with N-aminopyridinium salts under mild conditions by using photoredox catalysis.