Dess-Martin Periodinane-Mediated Oxidative Coupling Reaction of Isoquinoline with Benzyl Bromide

Dess-Martin periodinane (DMP) is a broadly applicable oxidant in chemical synthesis. In this work, an efficient and convenient synthesis of N-substituted isoquinolinone derivatives mediated by DMP was achieved through the oxidative coupling reaction of functionalized isoquinoline with readily available benzyl bromide, which is a metal-free, mild, and practical method for synthesizing isoquinoline-1,3-dione or isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione derivatives in excellent yields. The H₂O¹⁸-labeling experiment was performed to gain insight into the possible mechanism for this reaction.

Iron-catalyzed domino decarboxylation-oxidation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids enabled aldehyde C-H methylation

A practical and general iron-catalyzed domino decarboxylation-oxidation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids enabling aldehyde C-H methylation for the synthesis of methyl ketones has been developed. This mild, operationally simple method uses ambient air as the sole oxidant and tolerates sensitive functional groups for the late-stage functionalization of complex natural-product-derived and polyfunctionalized molecules.

Modern methods for the synthesis of perfluoroalkylated aromatics

Perfluoroalkyl-containing substances (PFAS), have become omnipresent materials in the modern world for both commercial and research applications. Compounds such as perfluoroalkylated arenes and heteroarenes have found uses in surfactants, lubricants, and flame retardants as a result of their astonishing chemical stability. Consequently, the synthesis of such compounds encompasses a large body of scientific articles and patents developed in the previous century. Most recent reviews on this subject have thus focused on summarizing this traditional literature, and have thereby spurred the development of a new wave of reaction manifolds employing modern synthesis principles. This new generation of methodologies focuses on the greener synthesis of perfluoroalkylated aromatic scaffolds, through the use of more efficient organometallic reactions, as well as by photochemical and electrochemical strategies. Herein, we will summarize this cohort of reactions while highlighting current challenges and future desirable outcomes for their environmentally friendly synthesis.