Mechanistic Details of Pd(II)-Catalyzed C-H Iodination with Molecular I2: Oxidative Addition vs Electrophilic Cleavage

Anti-selective Cyclopropanation of Nonconjugated Alkenes with Diverse Pronucleophiles via Directed Nucleopalladation

A facile approach to obtaining densely functionalized cyclopropanes is described. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions via the directed nucleopalladation of nonconjugated alkenes with readily available pronucleophiles and gives excellent yields and good anti-selectivity using I2 and TBHP as oxidants. Pronucleophiles bearing a diverse collection of electron-withdrawing groups, including -CN, -CO2R, -COR, -SO2Ph, -CONHR, and -NO2, are well tolerated. Internal alkenes, which are generally challenging substrates in other cyclopropanation methods, provide excellent yields and good diastereoselectivity in this methodology, allowing for controlled access to cyclopropanes substituted at all three C atoms. DFT calculations and mechanistic experiments reveal that the major mechanistic pathway involves the initial α-iodination of the nucleophile, followed by anti-carbopalladation and intramolecular C(sp3)-I oxidative addition. Strain-release-promoted C(sp3)-C(sp3) reductive elimination then furnishes the cyclopropanated product.

Diastereoselective Palladaelectro-Catalyzed Construction of Bromomethyl Morpholines as Key Step To Access Morpholino Homonucleosides

A synthetic protocol for the preparation of a new class of morpholino homonucleosides in enantiopure form starting from readily available 1,2-aminoalcohols or glycidol has been developed. Key intermediates of the synthetic sequence are 2-bromomethyl morpholines, diastereoselectively achieved from the corresponding alkenols by palladaelectro-catalyzed alkoxybromination of unactivated alkenes. The so obtained bromo derivatives are in turn susceptible to functionalization with nucleic bases for easy access to morpholino homonucleosides.

Mechanism and Selectivity of Copper-Catalyzed Bromination of Distal C(sp3)-H Bonds

Unactivated C(sp3)-H bonds are the most challenging substrate class for transition metal-catalyzed C-H halogenation. Recently, the Yu group [Liu, T.; Myers, M. C.; Yu, J. Q. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed.2017, 56 (1), 306-309] has demonstrated that a CuII/phenanthroline catalyst and BrN3, generated in situ from NBS and TMSN3 precursors, can achieve selective C-H bromination distal to a directing group. The current understanding of the mechanism of this reaction has left numerous questions unanswered. Here, we investigated the mechanism of Cu-catalyzed C(sp3)-H bromination with distal site selectivity using density functional theory calculations. We found that this reaction starts with the Br-atom transfer from BrN3 to the Cu center that occurs via a small energy barrier at the singlet-triplet state seam of crossing. In the course of this reaction, the presence of the N-H bond in the substrate is critically important and acts as a directing group for enhancing the stability of the catalyst-substrate interaction and for the recruitment of the substrate to the catalyst. The required C-centered radical substrate formation occurs via direct C-H dehydrogenation by the Cu-coordinated N3 radical, rather than via the previously proposed N-H bond dehydrogenation and then the 1,5-H transfer from the γ-(C-H) bond to the N-radical center pathway. The C-H bond activation by the azide radical is a regioselectivity-controlling step. The following bromination of the C-centered radical by the Cu-coordinated bromine completes the product formation. This reaction step is the rate-limiting step, occurs at the singlet-to-triplet state seam of the crossing point, and is exergonic.

Mechanistic Details of the Pd-catalyzed and MPAA Ligand-Enabled β-C(sp3 )-H Acetoxylation of Free Carboxylic Acid

Transition metal-catalyzed C-H bond oxidation of free carboxylic acid stands as an economic, selective, and efficient strategy to generate lactones, hydroxylated products, and acetoxylated products and attracts much of the chemists' attention. Herein, we performed a density functional theory study on the mechanism and selectivity in Pd-catalyzed and MPAA ligand-enabled C-H bond acetoxylation reaction. It was found that the ligand, base, and substrate are important in determining the reaction mechanism and the selectivity. The acetic anhydride additive is critical in leading the reaction to be acetoxylation, instead of the lactonization, through a facile σ-bond metathesis mechanism that leads to the Pd-OAc in-termediate. Our study sheds light on the further development of transition metal-catalyzed C-H bond oxidation reactions.

C(sp3)-H oxygenation via alkoxypalladium(ii) species: an update for the mechanism

Pd-catalyzed C(sp3)-H oxygenation has emerged as an attractive strategy for organic synthesis. The most commonly proposed mechanism involves C(sp3)-H activation followed by oxidative addition of an oxygen electrophile to give an alkylpalladium(iv) species and further C(sp3)-O reductive elimination. In the present study of γ-C(sp3)-H acyloxylation of amine derivatives, we show a different mechanism when tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) is used as an oxidant-namely, a bimetallic oxidative addition-oxo-insertion process. This catalytic model results in an alkoxypalladium(ii) intermediate from which acyloxylation and alkoxylation products are formed. Experimental and computational studies, including isolation of the putative post-oxo-insertion alkoxypalladium(ii) intermediates, support this mechanistic model. Density functional theory reveals that the classical alkylpalladium(iv) oxidative addition pathway is higher in energy than the bimetallic oxo-insertion pathway. Further kinetic studies revealed second-order dependence on [Pd] and first-order on [TBHP], which is consistent with DFT analysis. This procedure is compatible with a wide range of acids and alcohols for γ-C(sp3)-H oxygenation. Preliminary functional group transformations of the products underscore the great potential of this protocol for structural manipulation.

Computational Study of Key Mechanistic Details for a Proposed Copper (I)-Mediated Deconstructive Fluorination of N-Protected Cyclic Amines

Using calculations, we show that a proposed Cu(I)-mediated deconstructive fluorination of N-benzoylated cyclic amines with Selectfluor^® is feasible and may proceed through: (a) substrate coordination to a Cu(I) salt, (b) iminium ion formation followed by conversion to a hemiaminal, and (c) fluorination involving C-C cleavage of the hemiaminal. The iminium ion formation is calculated to proceed via a F-atom coupled electron transfer (FCET) mechanism to form, formally, a product arising from oxidative addition coupled with electron transfer (OA + ET). The subsequent β-C-C cleavage/fluorination of the hemiaminal intermediate may proceed via either ring-opening or deformylative fluorination pathways. The latter pathway is initiated by opening of the hemiaminal to give an aldehyde, followed by formyl H-atom abstraction by a TEDA²⁺ radical dication, decarbonylation, and fluorination of the C3-radical center by another equivalent of Selectfluor^®. In general, the mechanism for the proposed Cu(I)- mediated deconstructive C-H fluorination of N-benzoylated cyclic amines (LH) by Selectfluor^® was calculated to proceed analogously to our previously reported Ag(I)-mediated reaction. In comparison to the Ag(I)-mediated process, in the Cu(I)-mediated reaction the iminium ion formation and hemiaminal fluorination have lower associated energy barriers, whereas the product release and catalyst re-generation steps have higher barriers.

Unconventional mechanism and selectivity of the Pd-catalyzed C-H bond lactonization in aromatic carboxylic acid

The search for more effective and highly selective C-H bond oxidation of accessible hydrocarbons and biomolecules is a greatly attractive research mission. The elucidating of mechanism and controlling factors will, undoubtedly, help to broaden scope of these synthetic protocols, and enable discovery of more efficient, environmentally benign, and highly practical new C-H oxidation reactions. Here, we reveal the stepwise intramolecular S_N2 nucleophilic substitution mechanism with the rate-limiting C-O bond formation step for the Pd(II)-catalyzed C(sp³)-H lactonization in aromatic 2,6-dimethylbenzoic acid. We show that for this reaction, the direct C-O reductive elimination from both Pd(II) and Pd(IV) (oxidized by O₂ oxidant) intermediates is unfavorable. Critical factors controlling the outcome of this reaction are the presence of the η³-(π-benzylic)-Pd and K⁺-O(carboxylic) interactions. The controlling factors of the benzylic vs ortho site-selectivity of this reaction are the: (a) difference in the strains of the generated lactone rings; (b) difference in the strengths of the η³-(π-benzylic)-Pd and η²-(π-phenyl)-Pd interactions, and (c) more pronounced electrostatic interaction between the nucleophilic oxygen and K⁺ cation in the ortho-C-H activation transition state. The presented data indicate the utmost importance of base, substrate, and ligand in the selective C(sp³)-H bond lactonization in the presence of C(sp²)-H.

Amine-Directed Palladium-Catalyzed C-H Halogenation of Phenylalanine Derivatives

An efficient primary-amine-directed, palladium-catalyzed C-H halogenation (X=I, Br, Cl) of phenylalanine derivatives is reported on a range of quaternary amino acid (AA) derivatives thanks to suitable conditions employing trifluoroacetic acid as additive. The extension of this original native functionality-directed ortho-selective halogenation was even demonstrated with the more challenging native phenylalanine as tertiary AA.

Beyond hydrogen bonding: recent trends of outer sphere interactions in transition metal catalysis

The implementation of interactions beyond hydrogen bonding in the 2^nd coordination sphere of transition metal catalysts is rare. However, it has already shown great promise in last 5 years, providing new tools to control the activity and selectivity as here reviewed.

Rapid Electrochemical Methane Functionalization Involves Pd-Pd Bonded Intermediates

High-valent Pd complexes are potent agents for the oxidative functionalization of inert C-H bonds, and it was previously shown that rapid electrocatalytic methane monofunctionalization could be achieved by electro-oxidation of Pd^II to a critical dinuclear Pd^III intermediate in concentrated or fuming sulfuric acid. However, the structure of this highly reactive, unisolable intermediate, as well as the structural basis for its mechanism of electrochemical formation, remained elusive. Herein, we use X-ray absorption and Raman spectroscopies to assemble a structural model of the potent methane-activating intermediate as a Pd^III dimer with a Pd-Pd bond and a 5-fold O atom coordination by H_xSO₄^(x-2) ligands at each Pd center. We further use EPR spectroscopy to identify a mixed-valent M-M bonded Pd₂^II,III species as a key intermediate during the Pd^II-to-Pd^III₂ oxidation. Combining EPR and electrochemical data, we quantify the free energy of Pd dimerization as <-4.5 kcal/mol for Pd₂^II,III and <-9.1 kcal/mol for Pd^III₂. The structural and thermochemical data suggest that the aggregate effect of metal-metal and axial metal-ligand bond formation drives the critical Pd dimerization reaction in between electrochemical oxidation steps. This work establishes a structural basis for the facile electrochemical oxidation of Pd^II to a M-M bonded Pd^III dimer and provides a foundation for understanding its rapid methane functionalization reactivity.

Pd-Catalyzed Selective Chlorination of Acrylamides at Room Temperature

In this Letter, the transition-metal-catalyzed chlorination of alkenes is reported. In the presence of the commercially available and inexpensive N-chlorosuccinimide and without additive, the Pd-catalyzed chlorination of acrylamides by C-H bond activation was developed at room temperature under air. Under these mild reaction conditions, the versatility of the methodology was demonstrated as an array of acrylamides was functionalized to selectively provide the corresponding difficult-to-synthesize chlorinated olefins as a single Z stereoisomer. Mechanistic studies were conducted to get insights into the reaction mechanism, and post-functionalization reactions further demonstrated the synthetic utility of the approach toward the access to high value-added chlorinated compounds.

Transition-Metal-Free Site-Selective γ-C(sp2)-H Monoiodination of Arenes Directed by an Aliphatic Keto Group

A general γ-C(sp²)-H iodination method directed by an aliphatic keto group has been developed under transition-metal-free conditions for the first time, generating iodoarenes in good to excellent yields with excellent site selectivity. This protocol features a wide range of aryl-substituted ketones, short reaction times, mild reaction conditions, and scalable synthetic procedures. A possible reaction mechanism was also proposed based on several control experiments.

Palladium-Catalyzed Direct Mono- or Polyhalogenation of Benzothiadiazole Derivatives

An unprecedented method for the palladium (II)-catalyzed direct halogenation of benzothiadiazole derivatives is reported here, which would allow the rational tuning of their electronic properties by further transformations. The key strategy is the combination of the double functions of benzothiadiazole as both an important moiety of functional materials and modifiable directing group. Various mono/polychlorinated, brominated, or iodinated benzothiadiazole products could be prepared efficiently, which can be converted into a wide range of valuable polyaromatic compounds with potential applications in material chemistry.

Rhodium-Catalyzed C(sp2 )- or C(sp3 )-H Bond Functionalization Assisted by Removable Directing Groups

In recent years, transition-metal-catalyzed C-H activation has become a key strategy in the field of organic synthesis. Rhodium complexes are widely used as catalysts in a variety of C-H functionalization reactions because of their high reactivity and selectivity. The availability of a number of rhodium complexes in various oxidation states enables diverse reaction patterns to be obtained. Regioselectivity, an important issue in C-H activation chemistry, can be accomplished by using a directing group to assist the reaction. However, to obtain the target functionalized compounds, it is also necessary to use a directing group that can be easily removed. A wide range of directed C-H functionalization reactions catalyzed by rhodium complexes have been reported to date. In this Review, we discuss Rh-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions that are aided by the use of a removable directing group such as phenol, amine, aldehyde, ketones, ester, acid, sulfonic acid, and N-heteroaromatic derivatives.

Templating metastable Pd2 carboxylate aggregates

Evaluation of the potential for metal-metal (M-M) cooperation to enable catalysis requires access to specific polynuclear aggregates that display appropriate geometry and size. In many cases, exerting synthetic control over the aggregation of simple metal salts is a challenge. For example, Pd(ii) acetate self assembles as a trimer (i.e. Pd3(OAc)6) both in the solid state and in solution and does not feature close Pd-Pd interactions. Related carboxylate-supported Pd2 aggregates (i.e. Pd2(OAc)4), which would feature close Pd-Pd interactions, are thermodynamically metastable in solution phase and thus largely unavailable. Here we demonstrate ion metathesis within pre-formed metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to prepare metastable Pd2 tetracarboxylates sites. The newly synthesized materials are characterized by elemental analysis, PXRD, SCXRD, EXAFS, XANES, and gas adsorption analysis. In addition, the critical role of network solvation on the kinetics of ion metathesis was revealed by coupled TGA-MS and ICP-MS experiments. The demonstration of templated ion metathesis to generate specific metastable coordination sites that are inaccessible in solution phase chemistry represents a new opportunity to interrogate the chemistry of specific polynuclear metal aggregates.

A computational study of cobalt-catalyzed C–H iodination reactions using a bidentate directing group with molecular iodine

A computational methodology was used to collect detailed mechanistic information on the cobalt-catalyzed C–H iodination of aromatic amides with molecular iodine using an N,N′-bidentate directing group.

Cobalt(ii)-catalyzed chelation-assisted C–H iodination of aromatic amides with I2

An air stable and inexpensive cobalt-metal, mild and efficient catalytic system.

Insights into mechanism and selectivity in ruthenium(ii)-catalysed ortho-arylation reactions directed by Lewis basic groups

We report a detailed study of the mechanism and selectivity of ruthenium-catalysed C–H arylation reactions directed by Lewis basic heterocycles.

The mechanism of directed Ni(ii)-catalyzed C-H iodination with molecular iodine

This computational study reveals electrophilic cleavage pathways for substrates with N,N-bidentate directing centers in Ni(ii)-catalyzed C–H iodination with molecular iodine.

The density functional theory method is used to elucidate the elementary steps of Ni(ii)-catalyzed C(sp²)–H iodination with I₂ and substrates bearing N,N′-bidentate directing centers, amide-oxazoline (AO) and 8-aminoquinoline (AQ). The relative stability of the lowest energy high- and low-spin electronic states of the catalyst and intermediates is found to be an important factor for all of the steps in the reaction. As a result, two-state reactivity for these systems is reported, where the reaction is initiated on the triplet surface and generates a high energy singlet nickelacycle. It is shown that the addition of Na₂CO₃ base to the reaction mixture facilitates C–H activation. The presence of I₂ in the reaction provides the much needed driving force for the C–H activation and nickelacycle formation and ultimately reacts to form a new C–I bond through either a redox neutral electrophilic cleavage (EC) pathway or a one-electron reductive cleavage (REC) pathway. The previously proposed Ni(ii)/Ni(iv) and homolytic cleavage pathways are found to be higher in energy. The nature of the substrate is found to have a large impact on the relative stability of the lowest electronic states and on the stability of the nickelacycle resulting from C–H activation.

Transition-Metal-Free Decarboxylative Iodination: New Routes for Decarboxylative Oxidative Cross-Couplings

Constructing products of high synthetic value from inexpensive and abundant starting materials is of great importance. Aryl iodides are essential building blocks for the synthesis of functional molecules, and efficient methods for their synthesis from chemical feedstocks are highly sought after. Here we report a low-cost decarboxylative iodination that occurs simply from readily available benzoic acids and I₂. The reaction is scalable and the scope and robustness of the reaction is thoroughly examined. Mechanistic studies suggest that this reaction does not proceed via a radical mechanism, which is in contrast to classical Hunsdiecker-type decarboxylative halogenations. In addition, DFT studies allow comparisons to be made between our procedure and current transition-metal-catalyzed decarboxylations. The utility of this procedure is demonstrated in its application to oxidative cross-couplings of aromatics via decarboxylative/C–H or double decarboxylative activations that use I₂ as the terminal oxidant. This strategy allows the preparation of biaryls previously inaccessible via decarboxylative methods and holds other advantages over existing decarboxylative oxidative couplings, as stoichiometric transition metals are avoided.

A Role for Pd(IV) in Catalytic Enantioselective C-H Functionalization with Monoprotected Amino Acid Ligands under Mild Conditions

Kinetic and mechanistic studies of the desymmetrization of benzhydrylamine using Pd/monoprotected amino acid ligands (Pd/MPAA) via C-H functionalization with molecular iodine provide mechanistic insight into the rate-determining step and the oxidation state of Pd in the C-H functionalization step. Enantiomeric excess is strikingly insensitive to temperature from ambient temperature up to over 70 °C, and reaction rate is insensitive to the electronic characteristics of the ligand's benzoyl protecting group. The reaction is highly robust with no evidence of catalyst deactivation. Intriguingly, C-H bond breaking does not occur prior to the addition of I₂ to the reaction mixture. Electrochemical experiments demonstrate the viability of oxidative addition of I₂ to Pd(II). Together with ¹⁹F NMR studies, these observations suggest that iodine oxidizes Pd prior to addition of the amine substrate. This work may lead to a better general understanding of the subtle variations in the reaction mechanisms for C-H functionalization reactions that may be extant for this ligand class depending on substrate, amino acid ligand and protecting group, and reaction conditions.

Mono-N-protected amino acid ligands stabilize dimeric palladium(ii) complexes of importance to C-H functionalization

C–H activation, C–H functionalization, cyclopalladation, mono-protected amino acid, dimeric Pd amino acid complexes, MPAA coordination, relay of stereochemistry.

Mono-protected amino acid (MPAA) ligands are used in a number of Pd-catalyzed C–H functionalization reactions. MPAAs have been proposed to bind to Pd(ii) via κ²-(N,O) coordination, but such binding has not yet been experimentally validated. Herein, we report the synthesis and detailed characterization of a series of MPAA complexes prepared via cyclopalladation of dimethylbenzylamine in the presence of MPAAs. The isolated complexes exist as μ-carboxylato (MPAA) bridged dimers and feature potential M–M cooperativity and secondary sphere hydrogen bonding. Selective MPAA coordination and relay of stereochemistry, previously suggested to uniquely result from κ²-(N,O) MPAA coordination, are both observed. The isolated MPAA complexes undergo C–C and C–X (X = Cl, Br, I) bond formation when treated with electrophiles used for catalytic C–H functionalization. Stoichiometric iodination of MPAA palladacycles was found to proceed via a dinuclear palladium species with one equivalent of iodine in the rate limiting transition structure, and the isolated complexes also served as viable precatalysts for catalytic C–H functionalization. Together, these results provide a number of insights into the reactivity of Pd-MPAA complexes relevant to C–H bond functionalization.

Computational Studies of Carboxylate-Assisted C-H Activation and Functionalization at Group 8-10 Transition Metal Centers

Computational studies on carboxylate-assisted C-H activation and functionalization at group 8-10 transition metal centers are reviewed. This Review is organized by metal and will cover work published from late 2009 until mid-2016. A brief overview of computational work prior to 2010 is also provided, and this outlines the understanding of carboxylate-assisted C-H activation in terms of the "ambiphilic metal-ligand assistance" (AMLA) and "concerted metalation deprotonation" (CMD) concepts. Computational studies are then surveyed in terms of the nature of the C-H bond being activated (C(sp²)-H or C(sp³)-H), the nature of the process involved (intramolecular with a directing group or intermolecular), and the context (stoichiometric C-H activation or within a variety of catalytic processes). This Review aims to emphasize the connection between computation and experiment and to highlight the contribution of computational chemistry to our understanding of catalytic C-H functionalization based on carboxylate-assisted C-H activation. Some opportunities where the interplay between computation and experiment may contribute further to the areas of catalytic C-H functionalization and applied computational chemistry are identified.

Differences between the elimination of early and late transition metals: DFT mechanistic insights into the titanium-catalyzed synthesis of pyrroles from alkynes and diazenes

Early transition metals (TMs), such as titanium, generally resist undergoing reductive elimination to form C-X bonds due to their weak electronegativity. By analyzing the mechanism of the titanium-catalyzed synthesis of pyrroles from alkynes and diazenes, the present study revealed that titanium is able to promote C-N bond formation via an unconventional elimination pathway, passing through a comparatively stable masked Ti^II complex (i.e., IM4) rather than pyrrole directly. The formation of IM4 originates from the bilateral donation and back-donation between Ti and the pyrrole ligand. Formally, it could be considered that the two electrons resulting from the unconventional reductive elimination are temporarily buffered by back-donation to a symmetry-allowed unoccupied π-orbital of the pyrrole ring in IM4 rather than becoming a lone pair on a Ti center as adopted in the catalysis of late TMs. Because of its stability, IM4 requires additional oxidation by diazene to liberate pyrrole. The triplet counterpart (IM4^T ) of IM4 is more stable than IM4, but the elimination is unlikely to reach IM4^T , because the process is spin-forbidden and the spin-orbit coupling is weak. Alternatively, one may consider the forming pyrrole in IM4 as a redox-active ligand, reserving the two electrons resulting from the formal reductive elimination and then releasing the electrons when IM4 is oxidized by diazene. These insights allow us to propose the conditions for early TMs to undergo a similar elimination, whereby the forming product will have symmetry-allowed frontier molecular orbitals to form donation and back-donation bonding with a TM center and a substrate possessing a comparatively strong oxidizing ability to oxidize an IM4-like intermediate for product release. These insights may provide another way of constructing C-X bonds through a similar reductive elimination pathway, using early TM catalysts.

Palladium-Catalyzed Transformations of Alkyl C-H Bonds

This Review summarizes the advancements in Pd-catalyzed C(sp³)-H activation via various redox manifolds, including Pd(0)/Pd(II), Pd(II)/Pd(IV), and Pd(II)/Pd(0). While few examples have been reported in the activation of alkane C-H bonds, many C(sp³)-H activation/C-C and C-heteroatom bond forming reactions have been developed by the use of directing group strategies to control regioselectivity and build structural patterns for synthetic chemistry. A number of mono- and bidentate ligands have also proven to be effective for accelerating C(sp³)-H activation directed by weakly coordinating auxiliaries, which provides great opportunities to control reactivity and selectivity (including enantioselectivity) in Pd-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions.

Unveiling Secrets of Overcoming the "Heteroatom Problem" in Palladium-Catalyzed Aerobic C-H Functionalization of Heterocycles: A DFT Mechanistic Study

Directed C-H functionalization of heterocycles through an exocyclic directing group (DG) is challenging due to the interference of the endocyclic heteroatom(s). Recently, the "heteroatom problem" was circumvented with the development of the protection-free Pd-catalyzed aerobic C-H functionalization of heterocycles guided by an exocyclic CONHOMe DG. We herein provide DFT mechanistic insights to facilitate the expansion of the strategy. The transformation proceeds as follows. First, the Pd2(dba)3 precursor interacts with t-BuNC (L, one of the substrates) and O2 to form the L2Pd(II)-η(2)-O2 peroxopalladium(II) species that can selectively oxidize N-methoxy amide (e.g., PyCONHOMe) substrate, giving an active L2Pd(II)X2 (X = PyCONOMe) species and releasing H2O2. After t-BuNC ligand migratory insertion followed by a 1,3-acyl migration and association with another t-BuNC, L2Pd(II)X2 converts to a more stable C-amidinyl L2Pd(II)XX' (X' = PyCON(t-Bu)C═NOMe) species. Finally, L2Pd(II)XX' undergoes C-H activation and C-C reductive elimination, affording the product. The C-H activation is the rate-determining step. The success of the strategy has three origins: (i) the N-methoxy amide DG can be easily oxidized in situ to generate the active L2Pd(II)X2 species via the oxidase pathway, thus preventing the destructive oxygenase pathway leading to stable t-BuNCO or the O-bridged dimeric Pd(II) species. The methoxy group in this amide DG greatly facilitates the oxidase pathway, and the tautomerization of N-methoxy amide to its imidic acid tautomer makes the oxidation of the substrate even easier. (ii) The X group in L2Pd(II)X2 can serve as an internal base to promote the C-H activation via CMD (concerted metalation-deprotonation) mechanism. (iii) The strong coordination ability of t-BuNC substrate/ligand suppresses the conventional cyclopalladation pathway enabled by the coordination of an endocyclic heteroatom to the Pd-center.

Mechanism of Pd-catalyzed C(sp3)–H activation of aliphatic amines: an insight from DFT calculations

DFT studies on Pd-catalyzed C(sp³)–H activation of aliphatic amines have been performed using the B3LYP functional. The rate- and regio-determining step of the catalytic cycle is deprotonation of the C_methyl–H bond through a six-membered cyclopalladation transition state.