Scope and limitations of auxiliary-assisted, palladium-catalyzed arylation and alkylation of sp2 and sp3 C-H bonds.

The scope of palladium-catalyzed, auxiliary-assisted direct arylation and alkylation of sp(2) and sp(3) C-H bonds of amine and carboxylic acid derivatives has been investigated. The method employs a palladium acetate catalyst, substrate, aryl, alkyl, benzyl, or allyl halide, and inorganic base in tert-amyl alcohol or water solvent at 100-140 °C. Aryl and alkyl iodides as well as benzyl and allyl bromides are competent reagents in this transformation. The picolinic acid auxiliary is used for amine γ-functionalization, and the 8-aminoquinoline auxiliary is used for carboxylic acid ß-functionalization. Some optimization of base, additives, and solvent is required for achieving best results.

Substrate-dependent divergent outcomes from catalytic reactions of silyl-protected enol diazoacetates with nitrile oxides: azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes or 5-arylaminofuran-2(3H)-ones.

Dirhodium(II)-catalyzed reactions of silyl-protected enol diazoacetates with nitrile oxides exhibit high nitrile oxide substituent dependence in the production rearrangement products via dipolar cycloaddition and either the Neber rearrangement or the Lossen rearrangement.

Unexpected catalytic reactions of silyl-protected enol diazoacetates with nitrile oxides that form 5-arylaminofuran-2(3H)-one-4-carboxylates.

Silyl-protected enol diazoacetates undergo dirhodium(II)-catalyzed reactions with nitrile oxides to form acid-labile ketenimines via dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to a donor/acceptor cyclopropene and Lossen rearrangement of the dipolar adduct; acid catalysis converts the ketenimine to the furan product.

Asymmetric synthesis of 1,3-diamines by diastereoselective reduction of enantiopure N-tert-butanesulfinylketimines: unusual directing effects of the ortho-substituent.

Chiral, nonracemic 1,3-diamines were prepared in a highly diastereoselective reduction of diaryl N-tert-butanesulfinylketimines. Correlation between facial selectivity of the reduction and E or Z geometry of the starting ketimines suggests involvement of a cyclic transition state for the reduction. The ortho-substituent controls the geometry of N-tert-butanesulfinylketimines in the solid state and provides additional stabilization of the cyclic transition state.

Auxiliary-assisted palladium-catalyzed arylation and alkylation of sp2 and sp3 carbon-hydrogen bonds.

We have developed a method for auxiliary-directed, palladium-catalyzed beta-arylation and alkylation of sp(3) and sp(2) C-H bonds in carboxylic acid derivatives. The method employs a carboxylic acid 2-methylthioaniline- or 8-aminoquinoline amide substrate, aryl or alkyl iodide coupling partner, palladium acetate catalyst, and an inorganic base. By employing 2-methylthioaniline auxiliary, selective monoarylation of primary sp(3) C-H bonds can be achieved. If arylation of secondary sp(3) C-H bonds is desired, 8-aminoquinoline auxiliary may be used. For alkylation of sp(3) and sp(2) C-H bonds, 8-aminoquinoline auxiliary affords the best results. Some functional group tolerance is observed and amino- and hydroxy-acid derivatives can be functionalized. Preliminary mechanistic studies have been performed. A palladacycle intermediate has been isolated, characterized by X-ray crystallography, and its reactions have been studied.

Palladium- and copper-catalyzed arylation of carbon-hydrogen bonds.

The transition-metal-catalyzed functionalization of C-H bonds is a powerful method for generating carbon-carbon bonds. Although significant advances to this field have been reported during the past decade, many challenges remain. First, most of the methods are substrate-specific and thus cannot be generalized. Second, conversions of unactivated (i.e., not benzylic or alpha to heteroatom) sp(3) C-H bonds to C-C bonds are rare, with most examples limited to t-butyl groups, a conversion that is inherently simple because there are no beta-hydrogens that can be eliminated. Finally, the palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium catalysts routinely used for the conversion of C-H bonds to C-C bonds are expensive. Catalytically active metals that are cheaper and less exotic (e.g., copper, iron, and manganese) are rarely used. This Account describes our attempts to provide solutions to these three problems. We have developed a general method for directing-group-containing arene arylation by aryl iodides. Using palladium acetate as the catalyst, we arylated anilides, benzamides, benzoic acids, benzylamines, and 2-substituted pyridine derivatives under nearly identical conditions. We have also developed a method for the palladium-catalyzed auxiliary-assisted arylation of unactivated sp(3) C-H bonds. This procedure allows for the beta-arylation of carboxylic acid derivatives and the gamma-arylation of amine derivatives. Furthermore, copper catalysis can be used to mediate the arylation of acidic arene C-H bonds (i.e., those with pK(a) values <35 in DMSO). Using a copper iodide catalyst in combination with a base and a phenanthroline ligand, we successfully arylated electron-rich and electron-deficient heterocycles and electron-poor arenes possessing at least two electron-withdrawing groups. The reaction exhibits unusual regioselectivity: arylation occurs at the most hindered position. This copper-catalyzed method supplements the well-known C-H activation/borylation methodology, in which functionalization usually occurs at the least hindered position. We also describe preliminary investigations to determine the mechanisms of these transformations. We anticipate that other transition metals, including iron, nickel, cobalt, and silver, will also be able to facilitate deprotonation/arylation reaction sequences.

Carbon-hydrogen bond functionalization approach for the synthesis of fluorenones and ortho-arylated benzonitriles.

A sequence consisting of palladium-catalyzed benzamide ortho-arylation/reaction with (CF3CO)2O was developed allowing a convenient one-pot synthesis of ortho-arylated benzonitriles and fluorenone derivatives. The outcome of this transformation is dependent on the amide N-alkyl substituent. Dehydration of ortho-arylated N-cyclohexyl-benzamides by (CF3CO)2O results in efficient production of benzonitriles. In contrast, o-arylated N-propylbenzamides are converted to fluorenone derivatives.

Palladium-catalyzed anilide ortho-arylation and subsequent one-pot cyclization to phenanthridines.

The palladium-catalyzed direct arylation of anilides possessing several N-acyl substituents has been demonstrated. Removal of the acyl group by base hydrolysis allows a short and efficient synthesis of 2-aryl or 2,6-diarylanilines. The method is functional group tolerant and allows the presence of chloride and bromide substituents on both the anilide and aryl iodide coupling components. The arylation products can be converted to phenanthridines by the reaction with trifluoroacetic anhydride.

Ortho-arylation of benzamides.

[reaction: see text] A simple method for the direct ortho-arylation of benzoic acid amides has been developed. The palladium-catalyzed reactions proceed in trifluoroacetic acid and require the presence of stoichiometric silver acetate. This presents an alternative to the currently used ortho-lithiation strategies for the synthesis of arylated benzoic acid derivatives.

Highly regioselective arylation of sp3 C-H bonds catalyzed by palladium acetate.

A new palladium-catalyzed arylation process based on C-H activation has been developed. The utilization of pyridine-containing directing groups allows the beta-arylation of carboxylic acid derivatives and gamma-arylation of amine derivatives. Both primary and secondary sp3 C-H bonds, as well as sp2 C-H bonds, are reactive.

Catalytic coupling of C-H and C-I bonds using pyridine as a directing group.

A method for the palladium-catalyzed arylation of pyridines and pyrazoles has been developed. Both aliphatic and aromatic C-H bonds may be functionalized using this method. A bromo substituent is tolerated on the aryl iodide coupling component. [reaction: see text]