A facile transition metal-free decarboxylative C4 selective C–H difluoroarylmethylation of 8-aminoquinolines under simple aqueous conditions has been developed. It provides a novel and concise route for the construction of a difluoromethylene linker between (hetero)aromatic rings (Ar–CF2–Ar). Moreover, initial mechanistic studies reveal that a reasonable radical coupling reaction is involved in this C4 selective C–H difluoroarylmethylation.
