Oxindole Synthesis by Direct Coupling of C?H and C?H Centers

An sp ² /sp ³ get‐together : A novel and efficient method can be used to synthesize 3,3‐disubstitued oxindoles by the direct intramolecular oxidative coupling of an aryl C? H and a C? H center (see scheme; DMF=N,N‐dimethylformamide).

     

Site‐Differentiated Polyboron Arenes Prepared by Direct C?H Borylation and Their Highly Selective Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Coupling Reactions

Di‐ and polyboron (hetero)arenes, site‐differentiated with MIDA boronyl (MIDA=N‐methyliminodiacetic acid) and pinacolato boronyl (Bpin), were prepared by an iridium‐catalyzed direct C H borylation of readily available (hetero)aryl MIDA boronates. The excellent synthetic uses of these multisite nucleophiles were demonstrated by the high‐yield production of a variety of multifunctionalized poly(hetero)arenes with the highly chemoselective Suzuki–Miyaura coupling (SMC) of the Bpin moiety being an essential step.     

Site‐Differentiated Polyboron Arenes Prepared by Direct C?H Borylation and Their Highly Selective Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Coupling Reactions

Di‐ and polyboron (hetero)arenes, site‐differentiated with MIDA boronyl (MIDA=N‐methyliminodiacetic acid) and pinacolato boronyl (Bpin), were prepared by an iridium‐catalyzed direct C H borylation of readily available (hetero)aryl MIDA boronates. The excellent synthetic uses of these multisite nucleophiles were demonstrated by the high‐yield production of a variety of multifunctionalized poly(hetero)arenes with the highly chemoselective Suzuki–Miyaura coupling (SMC) of the Bpin moiety being an essential step.     

Synthesis of Triborylalkenes from Terminal Alkynes by Iridium‐Catalyzed Tandem C?H Borylation and Diboration

A two‐step reaction to convert terminal alkynes into triborylalkenes is reported. In the first step, the terminal alkyne and pinacolborane (HBpin) are converted into an alkynylboronate, which is catalyzed by an iridium complex supported by a SiNN pincer ligand. In the second step, treatment of the reaction mixture with CO generates a new catalyst which mediates dehydrogenative diboration of alkynylboronate with pinacolborane. The mechanism of the diboration remains unclear but it does not proceed via intermediacy of hydroboration products or via B₂pin₂.     

Double C?H Functionalization in Sequential Order: Direct Synthesis of Polycyclic Compounds by a Palladium‐Catalyzed C?H Alkenylation–Arylation Cascade

Palladium‐catalyzed cascade C? H alkenylation and arylation provides convenient access to polycyclic aromatic compounds. Treatment of 3‐bromoaniline derivatives bearing a bromocinnamyl group on the nitrogen atom with a catalytic amount of [Pd(OAc)₂] and PCy₃?HBF₄ in the presence of Cs₂CO₃ in dioxane affords naphthalene‐fused indole derivatives in good yields. This double cyclization reaction is also applicable to heterocyclic substrates, giving fused indoles containing a heteroaromatic ring such as dibenzofuran, dibenzothiophene, carbazole, indole, or benzofuran through heterocyclic C? H arylation. When using a 2,6‐unsubstituted aniline derivative, the first C? H arylation preferentially proceeds at the more hindered position of the aniline ring.     

Catalytic C?C,C?N,and C?O Ullmann‐Type Coupling Reactions

Copper‐catalyzed Ullmann condensations are key reactions for the formation of carbon–heteroatom and carbon–carbon bonds in organic synthesis. These reactions can lead to structural moieties that are prevalent in building blocks of active molecules in the life sciences and in many material precursors. An increasing number of publications have appeared concerning Ullmann‐type intermolecular reactions for the coupling of aryl and vinyl halides with N, O, and C nucleophiles, and this Minireview highlights recent and major developments in this topic since 2004.     

C?H Functionalizations by Means of Direct Borane–Hydrocarbon Dehydrogenations and Dehydrocarbonations

The C? H functionalization of methane by means of direct C? H borations with BH₃ or MeBH₂ is compared computationally (using the B3LYP/6‐311⁺⁺G** method) to C? H lithiations with LiH or LiMe as well as to other analogue C–metal (Be, Na, Mg, Al) formations. For the borations only, this internal electrophilic substitution at carbon (S_Ei) relies more on the electrophilicity of boron than on the basicity of the internal base Y, that is, H or Me. Such direct borations of methane are more favored for dehydrogenations than for dehydrocarbonations. Due to decreased electrophilicity, substituents at boron disfavor such borations. Hence, the BH₂ group appears to be most efficient for C? H functionalizations by means of direct hydrocarbon borations.     

Direct Borylation of Primary C?H Bonds in Functionalized Molecules by Palladium Catalysis

Organoborane compounds are among the most commonly employed intermediates in organic synthesis and serve as crucial precursors to alcohols, amines, and various functionalized molecules. A simple palladium‐based system catalyzes the conversion of primary C(sp³) H bonds in functionalized complex organic molecules into alkyl boronate esters. Amino acids, amino alcohols, alkyl amines, and a series of bioactive molecules can be functionalized with the use of readily available and removable directing groups in the presence of commercially available additives, simple ligands, and oxygen (O₂) as the terminal oxidant. This approach represents an economic and environmentally friendly method that could find broad applications.     

Synthesis of 2‐ and 2,7‐Functionalized Pyrene Derivatives: An Application of Selective C?H Borylation

An efficient synthetic route to 2‐ and 2,7‐substituted pyrenes is described. The regiospecific direct C? H borylation of pyrene with an iridium‐based catalyst, prepared in situ by the reaction of [{Ir(μ‐OMe)cod}₂] (cod=1,5‐cyclooctadiene) with 4,4′‐di‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine, gives 2,7‐bis(Bpin)pyrene ( 1 ) and 2‐(Bpin)pyrene ( 2 , pin=OCMe₂CMe₂O). From 1 , by simple derivatization strategies, we synthesized 2,7‐bis(R)‐pyrenes with R=BF₃K ( 3 ), Br ( 4 ), OH ( 5 ), B(OH)₂ ( 6 ), and OTf ( 7 ). Using these nominally nucleophilic and electrophilic derivatives as coupling partners in Suzuki–Miyaura, Sonogashira, and Buchwald–Hartwig cross‐coupling reactions, we obtained 2,7‐bis(R)‐pyrenes with R=(4‐CO₂C₈H₁₇)C₆H₄ ( 8 ), Ph ( 9 ), C≡CPh ( 10 ), C≡C[{4‐B(Mes)₂}C₆H₄] ( 11 ), C≡CTMS ( 12 ), C≡C[(4‐NMe₂)C₆H₄] ( 14 ), C≡CH ( 15 ), N(Ph)[(4‐OMe)C₆H₄] ( 16 ), and R=OTf, R′=C≡CTMS ( 13 ). Lithiation of 4 , followed by reaction with CO₂, yielded pyrene‐2,7‐dicarboxylic acid ( 17 ), whilst borylation of 2‐tBu‐pyrene gave 2‐tBu‐7‐Bpin‐pyrene ( 18 ) selectively. By similar routes (including Negishi cross‐coupling reactions), monosubstituted 2‐R‐pyrenes with R=BF₃K ( 19 ), Br ( 20 ), OH ( 21 ), B(OH)₂ ( 22 ), [4‐B(Mes)₂]C₆H₄ ( 23 ), B(Mes)₂ ( 24 ), OTf ( 25 ), C≡CPh ( 26 ), C≡CTMS ( 27 ), (4‐CO₂Me)C₆H₄ ( 28 ), C≡CH ( 29 ), C₃H₆CO₂Me ( 30 ), OC₃H₆CO₂Me ( 31 ), C₃H₆CO₂H ( 32 ), OC₃H₆CO₂H ( 33 ), and O(CH₂)₁₂Br ( 34 ) were obtained from 2 . These derivatives are of synthetic and photophysical interest because they contain donor, acceptor, and conjugated substituents. The crystal structures of compounds 4 , 5 , 7 , 12 , 18 , 19 , 21 , 23 , 26 , and 28 – 31 have also been obtained from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data, revealing a diversity of packing modes, which are described in the Supporting Information. A detailed discussion of the structures of 1 and 2 , their polymorphs, solvates, and co‐crystals is reported separately.