Metal‐Free Oxidative CC Bond Formation through CH Bond Functionalization

The formation of C?C bonds embodies the core of organic chemistry because of its fundamental application in generation of molecular diversity and complexity. C?C bond‐forming reactions are well‐known challenges. To achieve this goal through direct functionalization of C?H bonds in both of the coupling partners represents the state‐of‐the‐art in organic synthesis. Oxidative C?C bond formation obviates the need for prefunctionalization of both substrates. This Minireview is dedicated to the field of C?C bond‐forming reactions through direct C?H bond functionalization under completely metal‐free oxidative conditions. Selected important developments in this area have been summarized with representative examples and discussions on their reaction mechanisms.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Inert CC and CN Bond Cleavage: A New Strategy for the Synthesis of Tertiary Amides

A copper‐catalyzed aerobic oxidative amidation reaction of inert C?C bonds with tertiary amines has been developed for the synthesis of tertiary amides, which are significant units in many natural products, pharmaceuticals, and fine chemicals. This method combines C?C bond activation, C?N bond cleavage, and C?H bond oxygenation in a one‐pot protocol, using molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant without any additional ligands.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Dearomative Cyclocarbonylation by CN Bond Activation

A fundamentally novel approach to bioactive quinolizinones is based on the palladium‐catalyzed intramolecular cyclocarbonylation of allylamines. [Pd(Xantphos)I₂], which features a very large bite angle, has been found to facilitate the rapid carbonylation of azaarene‐substituted allylamines into bioactive quinolizinones in good to excellent yields. This transformation represents the first dearomative carbonylation and is proposed to proceed by palladium‐catalyzed C? N bond activation, dearomatization, CO insertion, and a Heck reaction.     

Ruthenium‐Catalyzed CC Bond Cleavage in Lignin Model Substrates

Ruthenium–triphos complexes exhibited unprecedented catalytic activity and selectivity in the redox‐neutral C? C bond cleavage of the β‐O‐4 lignin linkage of 1,3‐dilignol model compounds. A mechanistic pathway involving a dehydrogenation‐initiated retro‐aldol reaction for the C? C bond cleavage was proposed in line with experimental data and DFT calculations.     

Catalytic Electrophilic CH Silylation of Pyridines Enabled by Temporary Dearomatization

A C? H silylation of pyridines that seemingly proceeds through electrophilic aromatic substitution (S_EAr) is reported. Reactions of 2‐ and 3‐substituted pyridines with hydrosilanes in the presence of a catalyst that splits the Si? H bond into a hydride and a silicon electrophile yield the corresponding 5‐silylated pyridines. This formal silylation of an aromatic C? H bond is the result of a three‐step sequence, consisting of a pyridine hydrosilylation, a dehydrogenative C? H silylation of the intermediate enamine, and a 1,4‐dihydropyridine retro‐hydrosilylation. The key intermediates were detected by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and prepared through the individual steps. This complex interplay of electrophilic silylation, hydride transfer, and proton abstraction is promoted by a single catalyst.     

Linear Alkane CC Bond Chemistry Mediated by Metal Surfaces

Linear alkanes undergo different C?C bond chemistry (coupling or dissociation) thermally activated on anisotropic metal surfaces depending on the choice of the substrate material. Owing to the one‐dimensional geometrical constraint, selective dehydrogenation and C?C coupling (polymerization) of linear alkanes take place on Au(110) surfaces with missing‐row reconstruction. However, the case is dramatically different on Pt(110) surfaces, which exhibit similar reconstruction as Au(110). Instead of dehydrogenative polymerization, alkanes tend to dehydrogenative pyrolysis, resulting in hydrocarbon fragments. Density functional theory calculations reveal that dehydrogenation of alkanes on Au(110) surfaces is an endothermic process, but further C?C coupling between alkyl intermediates is exothermic. On the contrary, due to the much stronger C?Pt bonds, dehydrogenation on Pt(110) surfaces is energetically favorable, resulting in multiple hydrogen loss followed by C?C bond dissociation.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Phenanthridine/Benzoxazine‐Fused Quinazolinones by Intramolecular CH Bond Activation

A highly efficient synthesis of phenanthridine/benzoxazine‐fused quinazolinones by ligand‐free palladium‐catalyzed intramolecular C?H bond activation under mild conditions has been developed. The C?C coupling provides the corresponding N‐fused polycyclic heterocycles in good to excellent yields and with wide functional group tolerance.     

The Cross‐Dehydrogenative Coupling of CH Bonds: A Versatile Strategy for CC Bond Formations

Over the last decade, substantial research has led to the introduction of an impressive number of efficient procedures which allow the selective construction of C? C bonds by directly connecting two different C? H bonds under oxidative conditions. Common to these methodologies is the generation of the reactive intermediates in situ by activation of both C? H bonds. This strategy was introduced by the group of Li as cross‐dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) and discloses waste‐minimized synthetic alternatives to classic coupling procedures which rely on the use of prefunctionalized starting materials. This Review highlights the recent progress in the field of cross‐dehydrogenative C? C formations and provides a comprehensive overview on existing procedures and employed methodologies.     

Ruthenium‐Catalyzed meta‐Selective CH Bromination

The first example of a transition‐metal‐catalyzed, meta‐selective C? H bromination procedure is reported. In the presence of catalytic [{Ru(p‐cymene)Cl₂}₂], tetrabutylammonium tribromide can be used to functionalize the meta C? H bond of 2‐phenylpyridine derivatives, thus affording difficult to access products which are highly predisposed to further derivatization. We demonstrate this utility with one‐pot bromination/arylation and bromination/alkenylation procedures to deliver meta‐arylated and meta‐alkenylated products, respectively, in a single step.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed ortho‐Selective CF Bond Borylation of Polyfluoroarenes with BpinBpin

An ortho‐selective C? F bond borylation between N‐heterocycle‐substituted polyfluoroarenes and Bpin‐Bpin with simple and commercially available [Rh(cod)₂]BF₄ as a catalyst is now reported. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions with high efficiency and broad substrate scope, even toward monofluoroarene, thus providing a facile access to a wide range of borylated fluoroarenes that are useful for photoelectronic materials. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that a Rh^III/V catalytic cycle via a key intermediate rhodium(III) hydride complex [(H)Rh^IIIL_n(Bpin)] may be involved in the reaction.     

The Mechanism of NO Bond Cleavage in Rhodium‐Catalyzed CH Bond Functionalization of Quinoline N‐oxides with Alkynes: A Computational Study

Metal‐catalyzed C?H activation not only offers important strategies to construct new bonds, it also allows the merge of important research areas. When quinoline N‐oxide is used as an arene source in C?H activation studies, the N?O bond can act as a directing group as well as an O‐atom donor. The newly reported density functional theory method, M11L, has been used to elucidate the mechanistic details of the coupling between quinoline N?O bond and alkynes, which results in C?H activation and O‐atom transfer. The computational results indicated that the most favorable pathway involves an electrophilic deprotonation, an insertion of an acetylene group into a Rh?C bond, a reductive elimination to form an oxazinoquinolinium‐coordinated Rh^I intermediate, an oxidative addition to break the N?O bond, and a protonation reaction to regenerate the active catalyst. The regioselectivity of the reaction has also been studied by using prop‐1‐yn‐1‐ylbenzene as a model unsymmetrical substrate. Theoretical calculations suggested that 1‐phenyl‐2‐quinolinylpropanone would be the major product because of better conjugation between the phenyl group and enolate moiety in the corresponding transition state of the regioselectivity‐determining step. These calculated data are consistent with the experimental observations.     

Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed CC and CO Coupling of Quinoline N‐Oxides with Alkynes: Combination of CH Activation with O‐Atom Transfer

[Cp*Rh^III]‐catalyzed C? H activation of arenes assisted by an oxidizing N? O or N? N directing group has allowed the construction of a number of hetercycles. In contrast, a polar N? O bond is well‐known to undergo O‐atom transfer (OAT) to alkynes. Despite the liability of N? O bonds in both C? H activation and OAT, these two important areas evolved separately. In this report, [Cp*Rh^III] catalysts integrate both areas in an efficient redox‐neutral coupling of quinoline N‐oxides with alkynes to afford α‐(8‐quinolyl)acetophenones. In this process the N? O bond acts as both a directing group for C? H activation and as an O‐atom donor.     

Synthesis of Silaphenalenes by Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Annulation between 1‐Naphthylsilanes and Internal Alkynes through CH Bond Cleavage

Ruthenium‐catalyzed annulation of 1‐naphthylsilanes with internal alkynes afforded silaphenalenes through cleavage of the C?H bond at the 8‐position of the naphthalene. [RuH₂(CO){P(p‐FC₆H₄)₃}₃] efficiently catalyzed the reaction. The use of 1‐naphthyldiphenylsilane as a substrate resulted in a better yield of the annulation product compared to the use of silanes with alkyl groups on the silicon atom. Internal alkynes with both aryl and alkyl groups were tolerated in this reaction.     

Mild and Versatile Nitrate‐Promoted CH Bond Fluorination

A novel and facile C? H bond fluorination proceeds under remarkably mild conditions (close to room temperature in most cases). Both aromatic and olefinic C(sp²)? H bonds with a wide range of electronic properties are selectively fluorinated in the presence of a catalytic amount of simple, cheap, and nontoxic nitrate as the promoter. A Pd^II/Pd^IV catalytic cycle that is initiated by an in situ generated cationic [Pd(NO₃)]⁺ species was proposed based on preliminary mechanistic studies.     

Room Temperature Ring Expansion of N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes and BB Bond Cleavage of Diboron(4) Compounds

We report the isolation and detailed structural characterization, by solid‐state and solution NMR spectroscopy, of the neutral mono‐ and bis‐NHC adducts of bis(catecholato)diboron (B₂cat₂). The bis‐NHC adduct undergoes thermally induced rearrangement, forming a six‐membered ‐B?C?N?C?C‐N‐heterocyclic ring via C?N bond cleavage and ring expansion of the NHC, whereas the mono‐NHC adduct is stable. Bis(neopentylglycolato)diboron (B₂neop₂) is much more reactive than B₂cat₂ giving a ring expanded product at room temperature, demonstrating that ring expansion of NHCs can be a very facile process with significant implications for their use in catalysis.     

Efficient Synthesis of 1,2,3‐Triazoles by Copper‐Mediated CN and NN Bond Formation Starting From N‐Tosylhydrazones and Amines

An effective copper‐mediated synthesis of 1,5‐dialkyl‐4‐aryl‐1,2,3‐triazoles and 1,4‐dialkyl‐5‐aryl‐1,2,3‐triazoles has been achieved by the use of different N‐tosylhydrazones and alkyl amines. The scope of the substrates could be extended from anilines to aliphatic amines when 30 mol % amino acid is added into the reaction mixture. This methodology exhibits many notable features, such as broad substrates scope, high efficiency, and good regioselectivity. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicated that the reaction probably proceeded through a 1‐tosyl‐2‐vinyldiazene intermediate and subsequent aza‐Michael addition and N?N bond formation process.     

Manganese‐Catalyzed Oxidative Azidation of Cyclobutanols: Regiospecific Synthesis of Alkyl Azides by CC Bond Cleavage

A novel, manganese‐catalyzed oxidative azidation of cyclobutanols is described. A wide range of primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl azides were generated in synthetically useful yields and exclusive regioselectivity. Aside from linear alkyl azides, otherwise elusive medium‐sized cyclic azides were also readily prepared. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that the reaction likely proceeds by a radical‐mediated C? C bond cleavage/C? N₃ bond formation pathway.     

Room Temperature CP Bond Formation Enabled by Merging Nickel Catalysis and Visible‐Light‐Induced Photoredox Catalysis

A novel and efficient C?P bond formation reaction of diarylphosphine oxides with aryl iodides was achieved by combining nickel catalysis and visible‐light‐induced photoredox catalysis. This dual‐catalytic reaction showed a broad substrate scope, excellent functional group tolerance, and afforded the corresponding products in good to excellent yields. Compared with the previously reported use of photoredox/nickel dual catalysis in the construction of C?C bonds, the methodology described herein was observed to be the first to allow for C‐heteroatom bond formation.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Cross‐Coupling Reaction between Allylic CH Bonds and α‐CH Bonds of Ketones or Aldehydes

A dehydrogenative cross‐coupling reaction between allylic C?H bonds and the α‐C?H bond of ketones or aldehydes was developed using Cu(OTf)₂ as a catalyst and DDQ as an oxidant. This synthetic approach to γ,δ‐unsaturated ketones and aldehydes has the advantages of broad scope for both ketones and aldehydes as reactants, mild reaction conditions, good yields and atom economy. A plausible mechanism using Cu(OTf)₂ as a Lewis acid catalyst was also proposed (DDQ=2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐1,4‐benzoquinone; Tf=trifluoromethanesulfonate).     

Enantioselective CH Bond Functionalization Triggered by Radical Trifluoromethylation of Unactivated Alkene

An asymmetric unactivated alkene/C? H bond difunctionalization reaction for the concomitant construction of C? CF₃ and C? O bonds was realized by using a Cu/Brønsted acid cooperative catalytic system, thus providing facile access to valuable chiral CF₃‐containing N,O‐aminals with excellent regio‐, chemo‐, and enantioselectivity. Mechanistic studies revealed that this reaction may proceed by an unprecedented 1,5‐hydride shift involving activation of unactivated alkenes and a radical trifluoromethylation to initiate subsequent enantioselective functionalization of C? H bonds. Control experiments also suggested that chiral Brønsted acid plays multiple roles and not only controls the stereoselectivity but also increases the reaction rate through activation of Togni’s reagent.