Carbon−Nitrogen Bond-Forming Reactions of Palladacycles with Hypervalent Iodine Reagents

Synthesis and site selective C-H functionalization of imidazo-[1,2-a]pyridines

Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine has attracted much interest in drug development because of its potent medicinal properties, therefore the discovery of novel methods for its synthesis and functionalization continues to be an exciting area of research. Although transition metal catalysis has fuelled the most significant developments, extremely beneficial metal-free approaches have also been identified. Even though pertinent reviews focused on imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine synthesis, properties (physicochemical and medicinal), and functionalization at the C3 position have been published, none of these reviews has focused on the outcomes obtained in the field of global ring functionalization. We wish here to describe a brief synthesis and an overview of all the functionalization reactions at each carbon atom, viz, C2, C3, C5, C6, C7 and C8 of this scaffold, divided into sections based on site-selectivity and the type of functionalization methods used.

Discovery of a simple iron catalyst reveals the intimate steps of C-H amination to form C-N bonds

Formation of ubiquitous C-N bonds traditionally uses prefunctionalized carbon precursors. Recently, metal-catalyzed amination of unfunctionalized C-H bonds with azides has become an attractive and atom-economic strategy for C-N bond formation, though all catalysts contain sophisticated ligands. Here, we report Fe(HMDS)2 (HMDS = N(SiMe3)2 -) as an easy-to-prepare catalyst for intramolecular C-H amination. The catalyst shows unprecedented turnover frequencies (110 h-1 vs. 70 h-1 reported to date) and requires no additives. Amination is successful for benzylic and aliphatic C-H bonds (>80% yield) and occurs even at room temperature. The simplicity of the catalyst enabled for the first time comprehensive mechanistic investigations. Kinetic, stoichiometric, and computational studies unveiled the intimate steps of the C-H amination process, including the resting state of the catalyst and turnover-limiting N2 loss of the coordinated azide. The high reactivity of the iron imido intermediate is rationalized by its complex spin system revealing imidyl and nitrene character.

Oxidatively Induced Selective Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation From Isolated Rhodium(III) Complexes

This work focuses on oxidatively induced regioselective intramolecular C-C bond formations based on the Rh^III complexes synthesized from dirhodium(II) trifluoroacetate with 2-arylpyridines. With the selection of electron-donating groups on the arene rings of 2-arylpyridines, the unusual meta-ortho C-C bond-forming was favored, which led to the formation of meta-substituted 2-arylpyridine homocoupling dimers. On the contrary, the electron-withdrawing groups have tendency to occur conventional ortho-ortho bond-forming, resulting in the formation of new Rh^III complexes possessing the intriguing Rh^III (TFA)₃ fragment. Preliminary mechanistic experiments suggest that the sequential oxidation of Rh^III occurred in the reaction.

Ruthenium-catalyzed C-H amination of aroylsilanes

Acylsilane represents a valuable synthon in synthetic chemistry. We report on ruthenium(ii)-catalyzed ortho-C-H amination of aroylsilanes to provide facile access to synthetically useful imidobenzoylsilanes and tosyl-amidobenzoylsilanes. The protocols, with broad substrate scope and excellent functional group tolerance, are enabled with the weak chelation-assistance of acylsilane via C-H cyclometallation.

Synthesis, Structure, and Complexation of an S-Shaped Double Azahelicene with Inner-Edge Nitrogen Atoms

An S-shaped double azahelicene (1) was synthesized in excellent yield by a palladium-catalyzed double dehydrogenative C-H coupling reaction. The stereochemistry of 1 was confirmed to be dl by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Selective formation of dl-1 was attributed to the isomerization of the kinetically controlled product (meso-1) into the more thermodynamically stable dl-1 under the applied reaction conditions. dl-1 can coordinate to palladium(II) in a bidentate trans-chelating fashion, which was confirmed by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) as well as by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance (DR) UV/Vis, and far-infrared (FIR) absorption spectroscopy. Theoretical calculations of palladium complex 16 revealed a weak attractive interaction between palladium and carbon atoms on the central dimethoxynaphthalene core, which could facilitate a disproportionation between a trans-chelating (dl-1)⋅PdCl₂ complex and PdCl₂ to form 16.

Dibenzothiophenesulfilimines: A Convenient Approach to Intermolecular Rhodium-Catalysed C-H Amidation

A sulfilimine‐based Group 9 transition‐metal‐catalysed C−H amidation procedure is reported. Dibenzothiophene‐based sulfilimines were shown to constitute a class of novel amidation reagents which enable the transfer of a wide range of N‐sulfonyl and N‐acyl moieties. It was demonstrated that sulfilimines, which are easily accessible from cheap reagents, are safe‐to‐handle and represent broadly applicable amidation reagents. The dibenzothiophene can be recycled after use. The C−H amidation was shown to proceed with high selectivity and gave the mono‐amidated products, mostly in good to excellent yields.

Theoretical studies on the N–X (X = Cl, O) bond activation mechanism in catalytic C–H amination

A favorable S_N2-type N–Cl bond cleavage mechanism are proposed for Rh-catalysed C–H amination, which also works for N–O bond cleavage in Rh, Ru, and Pd analogous systems. These results could provide new understanding of C–H amination.

The necessity of free and uncrowded coordination environments in biomimetic complex models: oxidative coupling by mixed-ligand cobalt(ii) complexes of diazene–disulfonamide

Importance of molecular access to Co(ii) site is shown by new tridentate disulfonamides, which stabilize uncommon 5-coordinate mixed-ligand vacant-octahedral geometries.

Cobalt-catalysed unactivated C(sp3)–H amination: two-state reactivity and multi-reference electronic character

A remarkable two-state reactivity scenario and an unusual multi-reference character have been computationally found in Co-catalysed C(sp³)–H amination. In addition, the investigation on the additive, aminating reagent, metal center, and auxiliary ligand provides implications for development of new catalytic C–H functionalization systems.

Pd(II)-Catalyzed Cyclization-Oxidation of Urea-Tethered Alkylidenecyclopropanes

A Pd(OAc)₂-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative cyclization of urea-tethered alkylidenecyclopropanes with urea as a nitrogen source through a Pd(II)/Pd(IV) catalytic cycle has been presented, giving the corresponding cyclobuta[ b]indoline derivatives in moderate to good yields with a broad substrate scope. The reaction proceeds through a ring expansion of alkylidenecyclopropane along with the nucleophilic attack of nitrogen atom onto the in situ generated palladium carbenoid species as well as an oxidation process.

Recent advances in well-defined, late transition metal complexes that make and/or break C-N, C-O and C-S bonds

Chemical transformations that result in either the formation or cleavage of carbon-heteroatom bonds are among the most important processes in the chemical sciences. Herein, we present a review on the reactivity of well-defined, late-transition metal complexes that result in the making and breaking of C-N, C-O and C-S bonds via fundamental organometallic reactions, i.e. oxidative addition, reductive elimination, insertion and elimination reactions. When appropriate, emphasis is placed on structural and spectroscopic characterization techniques, as well as mechanistic data.

Graphene-catalyzed formation of C≡N bonds via cleavage of C-C and N-O bonds in ethanol and nitrate under room temperature

The cleavage of carbon-carbon bonds and the formation of carbon-nitrogen bonds play crucial roles in chemical synthesis. However, these reactions usually proceed at high temperature and involve multiple steps. Herein, we report an unusual and novel reaction catalyzed by graphene. The C-C bond in ethanol and the N-O bond in nitrate can be broken under room temperature, accompanied by the formation of the C≡N bond. We demonstrate these reactions and elucidate their mechanisms by verifying that the product is silver cyanide which was formed when mixing a solution of silver nitrate and ethanol with graphene dispersion in ethanol at room temperature. The pivotal reason for the reaction is the formation of the precipitated silver cyanide. In a broader context, this discovery opens a significant new path for the breakage of the C-C bond in ethanol and the synthesis of nitriles under mild conditions. Also, the graphene was first reported as a catalyst for the room-temperature reaction.

Site-Selective Copper-Catalyzed Amination and Azidation of Arenes and Heteroarenes via Deprotonative Zincation

Arene amination is achieved by site-selective C-H zincation followed by copper-catalyzed coupling with O-benzoylhydroxylamines under mild conditions. Key to this success is ortho-zincation mediated by lithium amidodiethylzincate base that is effective for a wide range of arenes, including nonactivated arenes bearing simple functionalities such as fluoride, chloride, ester, amide, ether, nitrile, and trifluoromethyl groups as well as heteroarenes including indole, thiophene, pyridine, and isoquinoline. An analogous C-H azidation is also accomplished using azidoiodinane for direct introduction of a useful azide group onto a broad scope of arenes and heteroarenes. These new transformations offer rapid access to valuable and diverse chemical space of aminoarenes. Their broad applications in organic synthesis and drug discovery are demonstrated in the synthesis of novel analogues of natural product (-)-nicotine and antidepressant sertraline by late-stage amination and azidation reactions.

Hypervalent Iodine Reagents in High Valent Transition Metal Chemistry

Over the last 20 years, high valent metal complexes have evolved from mere curiosities to being at the forefront of modern catalytic method development. This approach has enabled transformations complimentary to those possible via traditional manifolds, most prominently carbon-heteroatom bond formation. Key to the advancement of this chemistry has been the identification of oxidants that are capable of accessing these high oxidation state complexes. The oxidant has to be both powerful enough to achieve the desired oxidation as well as provide heteroatom ligands for transfer to the metal center; these heteroatoms are often subsequently transferred to the substrate via reductive elimination. Herein we will review the central role that hypervalent iodine reagents have played in this aspect, providing an ideal balance of versatile reactivity, heteroatom ligands, and mild reaction conditions. Furthermore, these reagents are environmentally benign, non-toxic, and relatively inexpensive compared to other inorganic oxidants. We will cover advancements in both catalysis and high valent complex isolation with a key focus on the subtle effects that oxidant choice can have on reaction outcome, as well as limitations of current reagents.

Transition Metal-Catalyzed C-H Amination: Scope, Mechanism, and Applications

Catalytic transformation of ubiquitous C-H bonds into valuable C-N bonds offers an efficient synthetic approach to construct N-functionalized molecules. Over the last few decades, transition metal catalysis has been repeatedly proven to be a powerful tool for the direct conversion of cheap hydrocarbons to synthetically versatile amino-containing compounds. This Review comprehensively highlights recent advances in intra- and intermolecular C-H amination reactions utilizing late transition metal-based catalysts. Initial discovery, mechanistic study, and additional applications were categorized on the basis of the mechanistic scaffolds and types of reactions. Reactivity and selectivity of novel systems are discussed in three sections, with each being defined by a proposed working mode.

Reactions of Trivalent Iodine Reagents with Classic Iridium and Rhodium Complexes

In this work, the reactions of iodine(iii) reagents (PhI(L)2: L = pyridine, acetate (OAc−), triflate (OTf−)) with iridium(i) and rhodium(i) complexes (Vaskas’s compound, Wilkinson’s catalyst, and bis[bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane]rhodium(i) triflate) are reported. In all cases, the reactions resulted in two-electron oxidation of the metal complexes. Mixtures of products were observed in the reactions of Iiii reagents with Vaska’s compound and Wilkinson’s catalyst via ligand exchange and anion scrambling. In the case of reacting Iiii reagents with chelating ligand-containing bis[bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane]rhodium(i) triflate, no scrambling was observed.

Non-directed aromatic C-H amination: catalytic and mechanistic studies enabled by Pd catalyst and reagent design

This manuscript describes the systematic development of pyridine-type ligands, which promote the Pd catalyzed, non-directed amination of benzene in combination with novel, hydroxylamine-based electrophilic amination reagents. DFT calculations and mechanistic experiments provide insights into the factors influencing the arene C-H amination protocol.

Cationic Pd(II)-catalyzed C-H activation/cross-coupling reactions at room temperature: synthetic and mechanistic studies

Cationic palladium(II) complexes have been found to be highly reactive towards aromatic C-H activation of arylureas at room temperature. A commercially available catalyst [Pd(MeCN)4](BF4)2 or a nitrile-free cationic palladium(II) complex generated in situ from the reaction of Pd(OAc)2 and HBF4, effectively catalyzes C-H activation/cross-coupling reactions between aryl iodides, arylboronic acids and acrylates under milder conditions than those previously reported. The nature of the directing group was found to be critical for achieving room temperature conditions, with the urea moiety the most effective in promoting facile coupling reactions at an ortho C-H position. This methodology has been utilized in a streamlined and efficient synthesis of boscalid, an agent produced on the kiloton scale annually and used to control a range of plant pathogens in broadacre and horticultural crops. Mechanistic investigations led to a proposed catalytic cycle involving three steps: (1) C-H activation to generate a cationic palladacycle; (2) reaction of the cationic palladacycle with an aryl iodide, arylboronic acid or acrylate, and (3) regeneration of the active cationic palladium catalyst. The reaction between a cationic palladium(II) complex and arylurea allowed the formation and isolation of the corresponding palladacycle intermediate, characterized by X-ray analysis. Roles of various additives in the stepwise process have also been studied.

Advances in Synthetic Applications of Hypervalent Iodine Compounds

The preparation, structure, and chemistry of hypervalent iodine compounds are reviewed with emphasis on their synthetic application. Compounds of iodine possess reactivity similar to that of transition metals, but have the advantage of environmental sustainability and efficient utilization of natural resources. These compounds are widely used in organic synthesis as selective oxidants and environmentally friendly reagents. Synthetic uses of hypervalent iodine reagents in halogenation reactions, various oxidations, rearrangements, aminations, C-C bond-forming reactions, and transition metal-catalyzed reactions are summarized and discussed. Recent discovery of hypervalent catalytic systems and recyclable reagents, and the development of new enantioselective reactions using chiral hypervalent iodine compounds represent a particularly important achievement in the field of hypervalent iodine chemistry. One of the goals of this Review is to attract the attention of the scientific community as to the benefits of using hypervalent iodine compounds as an environmentally sustainable alternative to heavy metals.

Iridium-Catalyzed Direct C-H Sulfamidation of Aryl Nitrones with Sulfonyl Azides at Room Temperature

Ir(III)-catalyzed direct C-H sulfamidation of aryl nitrones has been developed to synthesize various sulfamidated nitrones in moderate to excellent yields with excellent regioselectivity and broad functional group tolerance. This transformation could proceed smoothly at room temperature with low catalyst loading in the absence of external oxidants, acids, or bases. Molecular nitrogen was released as the sole byproduct, thus providing an environmentally benign sulfamidation process. And this protocol could efficiently apply to synthesize the substituted benzisoxazoline via one-step transformation from the product.

Mechanistic studies on the Rh(III)-mediated amido transfer process leading to robust C-H amination with a new type of amidating reagent

Mechanistic investigations on the Cp*Rh(III)-catalyzed direct C-H amination reaction led us to reveal the new utility of 1,4,2-dioxazol-5-one and its derivatives as highly efficient amino sources. Stepwise analysis on the C-N bond-forming process showed that competitive binding of rhodium metal center to amidating reagent or substrate is closely related to the reaction efficiency. In this line, 1,4,2-dioxazol-5-ones were observed to have a strong affinity to the cationic Rh(III) giving rise to dramatically improved amidation efficiency when compared to azides. Kinetics and computational studies suggested that the high amidating reactivity of 1,4,2-dioxazol-5-one can also be attributed to the low activation energy of an imido-insertion process in addition to the high coordination ability. While the characterization of a cationic Cp*Rh(III) complex bearing an amidating reagent was achieved, its facile conversion to an amido-inserted rhodacycle allowed for a clear picture on the C-H amidation process. The newly developed amidating reagent of 1,4,2-dioxazol-5-ones was applicable to a broad range of substrates with high functional group tolerance, releasing carbon dioxide as a single byproduct. Additional attractive features of this amino source, such as they are more convenient to prepare, store, and use when compared to the corresponding azides, take a step closer toward an ideal C-H amination protocol.

Selective N-chelation-directed C-H activation reactions catalyzed by Pd(II) nanoparticles supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes

N-Chelation-directed C-H activation reactions that utilize the Pd(II)/Pd(IV) catalytic cycle have been previously reported. To date, these reactions employ only homogeneous palladium catalysts. The first use of a solid-supported Pd(II) catalyst [Pd(II) nanoparticles on multiwalled carbon nanotubes, Pd(II)/MWCNT] to carry out N-chelation-directed C-H to C-O, C-Cl, and C-Br transformations is reported. The results presented demonstrate that the solid-supported Pd(II)/MWCNT catalyst can effectively catalyze C-H activation reactions using the Pd(II)/Pd(IV) catalytic cycle.

Regioselective C-H bond amination by aminoiodanes

A new approach for the direct amination of 2-phenylpyridine derivatives using a diphthalimide-iodane and copper triflate has been developed. A series of different 2-phenylpyridine derivatives were aminated with yields up to 88%. Mechanistic investigations indicate that the reaction proceeds via a copper-mediated single electron transfer.

Catalytic C-H imidation of aromatic cores of functional molecules: ligand-accelerated Cu catalysis and application to materials- and biology-oriented aromatics

Versatile imidation of aromatic C-H bonds was accomplished. In the presence of copper bromide and 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl, a range of aromatics, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic bowls, porphyrins, heteroaromatics, and natural products, can be imidated by N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide. A dramatic ligand-accelerated copper catalysis and an interesting kinetic profile were uncovered.

Insight into luminescent bisazoaromatic CNN pincer palladacycle: synthesis, structure, electrochemistry and some catalytic applications in C–C coupling

The 2-(phenylazo)azobenzene furnished novel palladacycles in excellent yield, which showed luminescence at rt and catalytic activity. The optoelectronic and electrochemical responses were substantiated with DFT and TDDFT.

Palladium-catalyzed ortho-C–H alkenylation of 2-benzyl-1,2,3-triazoles

A mild and efficient method for the direct alkenylation of 2-benzyl-1,2,3-triazoles via Pd-catalyzed C–H bond activation was developed.

Palladium Catalyzed Aryl C-H Amination with O2 via In Situ Formation of Peroxide-Based Oxidant(s) from Dioxane

(DAF)Pd(OAc)2 (DAF = 4,5-diazafluorenone) catalyzes aerobic intramolecular aryl C-H amination with N-benzenesulfonyl-2-aminobiphenyl in dioxane to afford the corresponding carbazole product. Mechanistic studies show that the reaction involves in situ generation of peroxide species from 1,4-dioxane and O2, and the reaction further benefits from the presence of glycolic acid, an oxidative decomposition product of dioxane. An induction period observed for the formation of the carbazole product correlates with the formation of 1,4-dioxan-2-hydroperoxide via autoxidation of 1,4-dioxane, and the in situ-generated peroxide is proposed to serve as the reactive oxidant in the reaction. These findings have important implications for the palladium-catalyzed aerobic oxidation reactions conducted in ethereal solvents.