Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed CH Activation of Arenes Using a Versatile and Removable Triazene Directing Group

Versatile palladium-catalyzed C–H olefination of (hetero)arenes at room temperature

The room-temperature oxidative C–H/C–H cross-couplings between simple arenes and alkenes, coumarins or quinones have been reported by using a highly electrophilic palladium species [Pd(TFA)₂] as the catalyst and cheap (NH₄)₂S₂O₈ as the oxidant under air.

Arene C–H functionalisation using a removable/modifiable or a traceless directing group strategy

Recent advances in arene C–H functionalisation using a removable/modifiable or a traceless directing group strategy are reviewed.

Room temperature, open-flask C–H arylation of electron-deficient heteroarenes with triazenes: rapid synthesis of heterobiaryls

Aryl triazenes were coupled with heteroarenes via C–H functionalization to produce heterobiaryls in moderate to good yields at ambient temperature.

Rhodium(iii)-catalyzed coupling of N-sulfonyl 2-aminobenzaldehydes with oxygenated allylic olefins through C–H activation

N-Sulfonyl-2-aminobenzaldehyde undergoes C–H activation and coupling with oxygenated allylic olefins under redox-neutral conditions with high efficiency.

Palladium-catalyzed meta-selective C-H bond activation with a nitrile-containing template: computational study on mechanism and origins of selectivity

Density functional theory investigations have elucidated the mechanism and origins of meta-regioselectivity of Pd(II)-catalyzed C-H olefinations of toluene derivatives that employ a nitrile-containing template. The reaction proceeds through four major steps: C-H activation, alkene insertion, β-hydride elimination, and reductive elimination. The C-H activation step, which proceeds via a concerted metalation-deprotonation (CMD) pathway, is found to be the rate- and regioselectivity-determining step. For the crucial C-H activation, four possible active catalytic species-monomeric Pd(OAc)2, dimeric Pd2(OAc)4, heterodimeric PdAg(OAc)3, and trimeric Pd3(OAc)6-have been investigated. The computations indicated that the C-H activation with the nitrile-containing template occurs via a Pd-Ag heterodimeric transition state. The nitrile directing group coordinates with Ag while the Pd is placed adjacent to the meta-C-H bond in the transition state, leading to the observed high meta-selectivity. The Pd2(OAc)4 dimeric mechanism also leads to the meta-C-H activation product but with higher activation energies than the Pd-Ag heterodimeric mechanism. The Pd monomeric and trimeric mechanisms require much higher activation free energies and are predicted to give ortho products. Structural and distortion energy analysis of the transition states revealed significant effects of distortions of the template on mechanism and regioselectivity, which provided hints for further developments of new templates.

C-H functionalization directed by transformable nitrogen heterocycles: synthesis of ortho-oxygenated arylnaphthalenes from arylphthalazines

Two protocols for oxygenation of aromatic C-H bonds ortho-positioned to the phthalazine ring were developed. The transannulation of the phthalazine ring to a naphthalene moiety by an Inverse Electron Demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) reaction led to the synthesis of naphtho[2,1-c]chromenes, 1-(ortho-hydroxyaryl)naphthalenes and 6,7-dihydrobenzo[b]naphtho[1,2-d]oxepine. This new strategy based on the utilization of transformable nitrogen heterocycles in C-H functionalization chemistry can be potentially applicable to the synthesis of a broad range of biaryl compounds.

Enantioselective functionalization of allylic C-H bonds following a strategy of functionalization and diversification

We report the enantioselective functionalization of allylic C-H bonds in terminal alkenes by a strategy involving the installation of a temporary functional group at the terminal carbon atom by C-H bond functionalization, followed by the catalytic diversification of this intermediate with a broad scope of reagents. The method consists of a one-pot sequence of palladium-catalyzed allylic C-H bond oxidation under neutral conditions to form linear allyl benzoates, followed by iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution. This overall transformation forms a variety of chiral products containing a new C-N, C-O, C-S, or C-C bond at the allylic position in good yield with a high branched-to-linear selectivity and excellent enantioselectivity (ee ≤97%). The broad scope of the overall process results from separating the oxidation and functionalization steps; by doing so, the scope of nucleophile encompasses those sensitive to direct oxidative functionalization. The high enantioselectivity of the overall process is achieved by developing an allylic oxidation that occurs without acid to form the linear isomer with high selectivity. These allylic functionalization processes are amenable to an iterative sequence leading to (1,n)-functionalized products with catalyst-controlled diastereo- and enantioselectivity. The utility of the method in the synthesis of biologically active molecules has been demonstrated.

Room-temperature synthesis of trisubstituted allenylsilanes via regioselective C-H functionalization

A Rh(III)-catalyzed o-C-H bond functionalization-based allenylation reaction of allenylsilanes 2 with N-methoxybenzamides 1 affords poly-substituted allenylsilanes with a wide range of attractive functional groups in moderate to excellent yields under very mild conditions (20 °C, compatible with ambient air and moisture). Those products may be transformed to different products with attractive structural features. Careful mechanistic studies suggest the reaction proceeds via o-rhodation, regioselective insertion, and β-H elimination.

Catalyst-controlled divergent C-H functionalization of unsymmetrical 2-aryl cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with alkynes and alkenes

Achieving site-selective, switchable C-H functionalizations of substrates that contain several different types of reactive C-H bonds is an attractive objective to enable the generation of different products from the same starting materials. Herein, we demonstrate the divergent C-H functionalization of unsymmetrical 2-aryl cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds that contain two distinct, nonadjacent sites for initial C-H functionalization, where product selectivity is achieved through catalyst control. By use of a palladium-N-heterocyclic carbene complex as the precatalyst, these substrates undergo oxidative annulation with alkynes to provide spiroindenes exclusively. In contrast, a ruthenium-based catalyst system gives benzopyrans as the major products. Examples of divergent, oxidative C-H alkenylations of the same substrates are also provided.

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed C-H olefination for the synthesis of ortho-alkenyl phenols using an oxidizing directing group

By using an oxidizing directing group, a mild, efficient Rh(III) catalyzed C-H olefination reaction between N-phenoxyacetamides and alkenes was developed. This reaction provided a straightforward way for the synthesis of ortho-alkenyl phenols, and the directing group is traceless in the product.

Rh(III)/Cu(II)-cocatalyzed synthesis of 1H-indazoles through C-H amidation and N-N bond formation

Substituted 1H-indazoles can be formed from readily available arylimidates and organo azides by Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation/C-N bond formation and Cu-catalyzed N-N bond formation. For the first time the N-H-imidates are demonstrated to be good directing groups in C-H activation, also capable of undergoing intramolecular N-N bond formation. The process is scalable and green, with O2 as the terminal oxidant and N2 and H2O formed as byproducts. Moreover, the products could be transformed to diverse important derivatives.

Direct access to acylated azobenzenes via Pd-catalyzed C-H functionalization and further transformation into an indazole backbone

Azobenzenes were readily acylated at the 2-position through a Pd-catalyzed C-H functionalization from simple aromatic azo compounds and aldehydes in good yields. The obtained acylated azobenzenes could be efficiently converted into the corresponding indazole derivatives in nearly quantitative yields.