Mechanistic Origin of Ligand Effects on Exhaustive Functionalization During Pd-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Dihaloarenes

We describe a detailed investigation into why bulky ligands-those that enable catalysis at "12e -" Pd0-tend to promote overfunctionalization during Pd-catalyzed cross-couplings of dihalogenated substrates. After one cross-coupling event takes place, PdL initially remains coordinated to the π system of the nascent product. Selectivity for mono- vs. difunctionalization arises from the relative rates of π-decomplexation versus a second oxidative addition. Under the Suzuki coupling conditions in this work, direct dissociation of 12e - PdL from the π-complex cannot outcompete oxidative addition. Instead, Pd must be displaced from the π-complex as 14e - PdL(L') by a second incoming ligand L'. The incoming ligand is another molecule of dichloroarene if the reaction conditions do not include π-coordinating solvents or additives. More overfunctionalization tends to result when increased ligand or substrate sterics raises the energy of the bimolecular transition state for separating 14e - PdL(L') from the mono-cross-coupled product. This work has practical implications for optimizing selectivity in cross-couplings involving multiple halogens. For example, we demonstrate that small coordinating additives like DMSO can largely suppress overfunctionalization and that precatalyst structure can also impact selectivity.

The Road Less Traveled: Unconventional Site Selectivity in Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Couplings of Dihalogenated N-Heteroarenes

The vast majority (≥90%) of literature reports agree on the regiochemical outcomes of Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions for most classes of dihalogenated N-heteroarenes. Despite a well-established mechanistic rationale for typical selectivity, several examples reveal that changes to the catalyst can switch site selectivity, leading to the unconventional product. In this Perspective, we survey these unusual cases in which divergent selectivity is controlled by ligands or catalyst speciation. In some cases, the mechanistic origin of inverted selectivity has been established, but in others the mechanism remains unknown. This Perspective concludes with a discussion of remaining challenges and opportunities for the field of site-selective cross-coupling. These include developing a better understanding of oxidative addition mechanisms, understanding the role of catalyst speciation on selectivity, establishing an explanation for the influence of ring substituents on regiochemical outcome, inverting selectivity for some "stubborn" classes of substrates, and minimizing unwanted over-reaction of di- and polyhalogenated substrates.

Unconventional Site Selectivity in Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Couplings of Dichloroheteroarenes under Ligand-Controlled and Ligand-Free Systems

Halides adjacent to nitrogen are conventionally more reactive in Pd-catalyzed cross-couplings of dihalogenated N-heteroarenes. However, a very sterically hindered N-heterocyclic carbene ligand is shown to promote room-temperature cross-coupling at C4 of 2,4-dichloropyridines with high selectivity (∼10:1). This work represents the first highly selective method with a broad scope for C4-coupling of these substrates where selectivity is clearly under ligand control. Under the optimized conditions, diverse substituted 2,4-dichloropyridines and related compounds undergo cross-coupling to form C4-C_(sp2) and C4-C_(sp3) bonds using organoboron, -zinc, and -magnesium reagents. The synthetic utility of this method is highlighted in multistep syntheses that combine C4-selective cross-coupling with subsequent nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions. The majority of the products herein (71%) have not been previously reported, emphasizing the ability of this methodology to open up underexplored chemical space. Remarkably, we find that ligand-free "Jeffery" conditions enhance the C4 selectivity of Suzuki coupling by an order of magnitude (>99:1). These ligand-free conditions enable the first C5-selective cross-couplings of 2,5-dichloropyridine and 2,5-dichloropyrimidine.

Bulky Pd-PEPPSI-Embedded Conjugated Microporous Polymers-Catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling of Aryl Chlorides and Arylboronic Acids

Through post-synthesis method, a type of bulky N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) functionalized conjugated microporous polymers to supported the palladium-based molecular catalyst has been developed. The resulting heterogeneous catalyst Pd-PEPPSI-CMP, showing greater...

Search for a photoinduced (site-selective) cleavage of the Ar-Cl bond in dichloroanisoles

The site-selective cleavage of an Ar-X bond in polyhalogenated aromatics is an important tool in synthetic planning especially when more than one identical halogen atom is present. An alternative to the usual metal-catalyzed cleavage is represented by photochemistry although only a few examples have been reported. We then investigated the feasibility of the site-selective photodechlorination of some dichloroanisoles through a combined experimental and computational study. In the case of 2,4-dichloroanisole, selective detachment of the chlorine atom at the ortho position with respect to the OMe group was observed upon photohomolysis (in cyclohexane) or photoheterolysis (in MeOH) of the Ar-Cl bond. In the latter case, 5-chloro-2-methoxy-1,1'-biphenyl was exclusively formed upon reaction of the resulting phenyl cation with benzene. The substitution of an OH group for a OMe group was detrimental since a lower photoreactivity resulted with no improvement in the selectivity.

Less hindered ligands give improved catalysts for the nickel catalysed Grignard cross-coupling of aromatic ethers

The challenging reaction of unactivated ortho-substituted aromatic ethers with Grignard reagents has been found to be most effectively catalysed using nickel complexes of less sterically hindered ligands.

Impact of Precatalyst Activation on Suzuki-Miyaura Catalyst-Transfer Polymerizations: New Mechanistic Scenarios for Pre-transmetalation Events

The relevance of L_nPdX₂ precatalyst activation on the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction course was investigated in the case of catalyst-transfer polymerizations. A catalytic study, backed up by theoretical calculations, allowed to ascertain the coexistence of a neutral and an anionic mechanistic pathways in the precatalyst activation, in which the bulky ^tBu₃P external ligand plays a crucial role. The fine-tuning of the catalytic conditions can steer the activation step toward the anionic pathway, leading to the full control over the polymerization course. While providing insights and perspectives into the catalyst-transfer polymerizations, these results uncover unexplored scenarios for the pre-transmetalation events of Suzuki-Miyaura reactions contributing to its full understanding.

Sequential meta-C–H olefination of synthetically versatile benzyl silanes: effective synthesis of meta-olefinated toluene, benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohols

Template assisted sequential meta-C–H bis-olefination was achieved for synthetically versatile benzyl silanes with post synthetic modifications towards different useful functionalities.

Influence of bulky yet flexible N-heterocyclic carbene ligands in gold catalysis

Three new Au(I) complexes of the formula [Au(NHC)(NTf₂)] (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) bearing bulky and flexible ligands have been synthesised. The ligands studied are IPent, IHept and INon which belong to the ‘ITent’ (‘Tent’ for ‘tentacular’) family of NHC derivatives. The effect of these ligands in gold-promoted transformations has been investigated.

Intramolecular catalyst transfer polymerisation of conjugated monomers: from lessons learned to future challenges

Eleven years after the first reports on intramolecular catalyst transfer polycondensations, this review aims to critically recap on the fundamental “lessons” that can be learned from the historic literature as well as from the fervid activity that has emerged in the last three years.