{
  "abstract": "Transforming simple benzene-ring-containing compounds from bulk chemicals into complex three-dimensional molecules with diverse functionalities and controllable stereochemistry under mild, scalable conditions remains a long-standing goal in synthetic chemistry. Dianions generated from aryl carbonyl compounds by two-electron transfer are promising precursors for dearomative difunctionalization. However, previous methods1 for generating dianion intermediates require harsh conditions and are incompatible with functionalized electrophiles, while competing benzylic functionalization via ketyl radical anions2,3 further limits their application. A key challenge is therefore to rapidly convert radical anions into higher-energy dianions using a mild reducing agent, outcompeting nucleophilic reactions of radical anions while ensuring electrophile compatibility. Here we report an ultrafast electron-transfer catalytic mode employing a bipyridine-based catalyst that rapidly acquires electrons from magnesium metal and transfers them to aryl ketyl radical anions, enabling the efficient in situ generation of dianion intermediates from simple aryl ketones under mild conditions. Using chlorosilanes as electrophiles, we obtain dearomatized bis-silylated products bearing conjugated enol silyl ether and allylsilane motifs in up to 98% yield. These products serve as versatile platform molecules for dearomative multifunctionalization, enabling the highly stereoselective synthesis of complex compounds with multiple stereocentres.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Meng Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nan-Nan Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Cai-Lan Kou"
    },
    {
      "name": "Zi-Yi Chen"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xi Luo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jian-Bo Xie",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7114-4552"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bd36pf950q7en.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15008908/v1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bd36pf950q7en",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008908/v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1605|Radical Photochemical Reactions"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213369302",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-16",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bd36pf950q7en.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
      "native_id": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15008908",
      "source": "chemrxiv",
      "url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008908/v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1605|Radical Photochemical Reactions",
      "subfield": "organic"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Dearomative Multifunctionalization of Benzene Rings Enabled by Electron-Transfer Catalysis",
  "title_text": "Dearomative Multifunctionalization of Benzene Rings Enabled by Electron-Transfer Catalysis",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bd36pf950q7en",
  "venue": "ChemRxiv",
  "versions": []
}