The addition of an auxiliary base to aid deprotonation resulted in yields comparable to those without additional base (Entries 11-12, Table ). However, there was a slight decrease in yield with potassium phthalimide, likely due to its nature as an electron-poor aromatic that competes as a radical acceptor. In both cases, the reaction rate increased significantly, suggesting that deprotonation is the rate-limiting step, warranting further mechanistic investigation (see below).