N -Oxide-to-Carbon Transmutations of Azaarene N -Oxides.

Reactions that change the identity of an atom within a ring system are emerging as valuable tools for the site-selective editing of molecular structures. Herein, we describe the expansion of an underdeveloped transformation that directly converts azaarene-derived N -oxides to all-carbon arenes. This ring transmutation exhibits good functional group tolerance and replaces the N -oxide moiety with either unsubstituted, substituted, or isotopically labeled carbon atoms in a single laboratory operation.