Neopentyl arenesulfonates react with secondary alkylmagnesium chlorides in the presence of dppfNiCl2 to produce the corresponding arenes via the reductive cleavage of carbon-sulfur bond. Highest yield is obtained by using three equivalents of Grignard reagent to a mixture of arenesulfonate and dppfNiCl2 in Et2O at room temperature. This reaction represents a novel method allowing the efficient hydrogenolysis of sulfur-containing groups in aromatic compounds.