Palladium-catalyzed regioselective C-H bond arylations at the C3 position of ortho-substituted fluorobenzenes.

The influence of an ortho-substituent on fluorobenzene derivatives for palladium-catalyzed C-H bond arylation has been explored. In the presence of 2-bromo, 2-chloro and 2-methoxy substituents, the reaction proceeds nicely using a diphosphine-palladium catalyst and potassium acetate/dimethylacetamide (PivOK/DMA) as the catalytic system. In all cases, a regioselective arylation at the other ortho-position to the fluorine atom (C3) was observed. A variety of electron-withdrawing substituents on the aryl bromide coupling partner, such as formyl, nitro, nitrile, and also heteroaryl bromides, was tolerated. Moreover, tri(hetero)aryl derivatives containing a fluorobenzene as the central unit have been prepared from 2-bromofluorobenzene through palladium-catalyzed-successive C-H bond (hetero)arylations.

Palladium-catalyzed direct desulfitative C2 arylations of 3-halo-N-protected indoles using (hetero)arenesulfonyl chlorides.

The direct arylation of N-protected 3-haloindole derivatives with benzenesulfonyl chlorides as coupling partners using 5 mol% of bis(acetonitrile)dichloropalladium(ii) catalyst and lithium carbonate as a base in 1,4-dioxane was investigated. We demonstrated that both iodo and chloro substituents at the indolyl C3 position act as temporary blocking groups allowing the formation of 2-arylindoles through a direct desulfitative arylation, followed by in situ dehalogenation. While, from 3-bromoindole derivatives, 2-aryl-3-bromoindoles were obtained without debromination, and could be converted into 2,3-diarylindoles through a second palladium coupling. This method allows one to prepare in a few steps a very wide variety of indole derivatives, which are of interest in the synthesis of bioactive molecules.

Eco-friendly solvents for palladium-catalyzed desulfitative C-H bond arylation of heteroarenes.

Herein, we report the Pd-catalyzed regioselective direct arylation of heteroarenes in which benzenesulfonyl chlorides are used as coupling partners through a desulfitative cross-coupling that can be performed in diethyl carbonate (DEC) or cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) as green and renewable solvents or even in neat conditions instead of dioxane or dimethylacetamide (DMA). Under these solvent conditions, the reaction proceeds with a wide range of heteroarenes. C2- or C5-arylated products were obtained with furan and pyrrole derivatives. Benzofuran was also arylated regioselectively at the C2-position, whereas the reaction proceeds selectively at the C3- or C4-positions if thiophenes and benzothiophenes are used. Moreover, in some cases, especially with 1-methylindole, solvent-free conditions afforded better regioselectivities and/or yields than the reaction performed in the presence of solvents.