Mixed Directing-Group Strategy: Oxidative C-H/C-H Bond Arylation of Unactivated Arenes by Cobalt Catalysis.

A mixed directing-group strategy for inexpensive [Co(acac)3 ]-catalyzed oxidative C-H/C-H bond arylation of unactivated arenes has been disclosed. This strategy enables the arylation of a wide range of benzamide and arylpyridines effectively to afford novel bifunctionalized biaryls, which are difficult to achieve by common synthetic routes. Two different pathways, namely, a single-electron-transmetalation process (8-aminoquinoline-directed) and a concerted metalation-deprotonation process (pyridine-directed), were involved to activate two different inert aromatic C-H bonds. Moreover, the aryl radicals have been trapped by 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol to form benzylated products. This unique strategy should be useful in the design of other arene C-H/C-H cross-couplings as well.

Ni(II)-Catalyzed C(sp(2))-H Alkynylation/Annulation with Terminal Alkynes under an Oxygen Atmosphere: A One-Pot Approach to 3-Methyleneisoindolin-1-one.

A nickel(II)-catalyzed alkynylation/annulation cascade via double C-H cleavage has been successfully achieved. This methodology adopted a removable N,O-bidentate directing group with a broad range of amide substrates and terminal alkynes being well tolerated. The catalytic system allowed for atom-economical and environmentally benign one-pot construction of the corresponding 3-methyleneisoindolin-1-one derivatives using O2 as the external oxidant.