Copper-catalyzed α-benzylation of BODIPYs via radical-triggered oxidative cross-coupling of two C–H bonds

. The direct use of readily available toluene and its derivatives as coupling partners avoids unproductive steps for preactivating the functional group installation, and is therefore attractive. Most of the resulting dyes are highly emissive in the solid state due to the introduction of bulky benzyl groups onto the BODIPY core.