DDQ-mediated direct oxidative coupling of amides with benzylic and allylic sp3 C–H bonds under metal-free conditions

A simple and efficient method for the direct oxidative coupling of amides with benzylic and allylic sp³ C–H bonds using DDQ as an oxidant is described. A range of amides including benzamide, benzyl carbamate, and substituted sulfonamides reacted efficiently with various benzylic and allylic substrates under metal free conditions to afford amidation products in good to excellent yields.     

Copper and zinc co-catalyzed synthesis of imidazoles via the activation of sp C–H and N–H bonds

An efficient and facile approach to synthesize imidazoles from amidines and arylketone via oxidative coupling of sp³ C–H bond and N–H bond is reported. This strategy exhibits high performance in terms of regioselectivity with moderate to high yields by using easily available materials, and provides an alternative method to synthesize multi-substituted imidazole skeletons.     

Photocatalytic decarboxylative alkylations of C(sp~3)–H and C(sp~2)–H bonds enabled by ammonium iodide in amide solvent

A simple ammonium iodide salt in amide solvent catalyzes regioselective decarboxylative alkylation of C(sp~3)-H bonds of Naryl glycine derivatives, of C(sp~2)-H bond of heteroarenes, and cascade radical addition to unsaturated bond followed by intramolecular addition to arene, with a broad scope of N-hydroxyphthalimide derived redox active esters under visible light irradiation. The reactions are suggested to proceed through photoactivation of a transiently assembled chromophore from electron-deficient phthalimide moiety and iodide anion through an anion-π interaction in solvent cage followed by diffusion to generate solvated free radical species to react with C-H substrates. The simplicity, practicality, and broad substrate scope of this method highlight the synthetic power of photocatalysis through transiently assembled chromophore, and will hopefully inspire further developments of low cost photocatalysis based on various non-covalent interactions, which are prevalent in supramolecular chemistry and biosystems, for sustainable organic synthesis.     

Regioselective introduction of vinyl trifluoromethylthioether to remote unactivated C(sp~3)–H bonds via radical translocation cascade

Described herein is an efficient protocol for the regioselective introduction of a vinyl trifluoromethylthioether to remote unactivated C(sp~3)–H bonds. The cascade process involves the vinyl radical-mediated 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer(HAT) and remote vinyl migration. During the transformation, inert C–H and C–C bonds are consecutively cleaved under mild conditions.The reaction features good functional group tolerance, broad substrate scope, and high regio-/stereo-selectivity.     

A tandem and tunable Pd catalyzed C–N coupling of heteroarenols with ureas via C–OH bond activation

At this circumstance for the first time, a facile and convenient method for heteroaryl ureas has been developed via a two-step process involving in situ C–OH activation followed by palladium catalyzed C–N coupling of heteroarenols with ureas, which show excellent functional group tolerance and give out rapid coupling in good to excellent yield.     

Recent advances in oxidative C–C coupling reaction of amides with carbon nucleophiles

The C–C coupling reaction of N-electron withdrawing group (EWG) protected amides with coupling partners is one of the most important methods for C–C bond formation at the α-position of amides to directly give α-substituted amides. Of the four reactions, namely, the reaction via the generation of carbanion with an electrophile, that via the generation of carbon radical with a radical donor, that via the generation of iminium ion species with a nucleophile (oxidative coupling reaction), and that using a transition metal carbenoid, the oxidative coupling reaction presents a challenge although the reaction products are very useful for the transformation of a wide range of nitrogen-containing derivatives. In this review, recent developments in the oxidative coupling reaction of N-EWG protected amides with nucleophiles are summarized with focus on the reaction using a transition metal, the transition-metal-free reaction, the enantioselective reaction using a chiral catalysts, and the organocatalyzed oxidative coupling reaction.     

Copper(II)-catalyzed direct thiolation of C–H bonds in aromatic amides with aryl and aliphatic thiols

An efficient approach for Cu-catalyzed thiolation of C_sp2–H bonds of directing-group-containing aromatic amides with 1°, 2°, and 3° aliphatic thiols and thiophenols has been developed. This method shows excellent functional group tolerance and provides a straightforward way for the preparation of aryl thioethers.     

Copper-catalyzed regioselective allylic oxidation of olefins via C–H activation

A regioselective oxidation of allylic C–H bond to C–O bond catalyzed by copper (I) was developed with diacyl peroxides as oxidants. The oxidation of allylic C–H bond was accomplished with good yield and regioselectivity under mild reaction conditions. This method has a broad substrate scope including cyclic olefins, terminal and internal acyclic olefins and allyl benzene compounds. The reaction proceeds by a radical mechanism as suggested by spin trapping experiments.     

Copper-catalyzed synthesis of N-aryl acridones from 2-amino benzophenones and aryl boronic acids via sequential double oxidative C–N coupling

Pot-economic synthesis of N-aryl acridones was performed with 2-aminobenzophenones and aryl boronic acids as starting materials. Cu-catalyzed chelation-assisted oxidative C–N cross-coupling reactions were well merged with the following intra-molecular oxidative dehydrogenative C–H amination reactions under an air atmosphere. The use of reagent capsules can further resolve the compatibility problem of reagents and simplify the operational process, providing a more straightforward access to the target products.     

C(sp~3)–H bond functionalization of non-cyclic ethers by decarboxylative oxidative coupling with α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids

A copper-catalyzed decarboxylative oxidative coupling of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids with non-cyclic ethers is developed.This method provides a new approach for C(sp~3)–H bond functionalization of non-cyclic ethers. Mechanism study shows the reaction involves a radical process.     

CuBr-catalyzed direct indolation of tetrahydroisoquinolines via cross-dehydrogenative coupling between sp3 C-H and sp2 C-H bonds

A novel and efficient C-C bond formation method was developed via the cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction of indoles and tetrahydroisoquinolines catalyzed by copper bromide in the presence of an oxidizing reagent, tert-BuOOH. The CDC reaction provides a simple and efficient catalytic method to construct indolyl tetrahydroisoquinolines via a combination of sp3 C-H bond and sp2 C-H bond followed by C-C bond formation.     

Metal-free oxidative C-C bond formation of active methylenic sp C-H bonds with benzylic sp C-H and allylic sp C-H bonds mediated by DDQ

An efficient and simple method for the oxidative coupling of benzylic and allylic sp³ C-H bonds with active methylenic sp³ C-H bonds under metal-free conditions was developed by employing 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) as an oxidant. The reaction was shown to proceed smoothly for various 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with a range of benzylic and allylic substrates in good to excellent yields.     

Catalytic allylic alkylation via the cross-dehydrogenative-coupling reaction between allylic sp3 C-H and methylenic sp3 C-H bonds

A catalytic allylic alkylation was developed via the cross-dehydrogenative-coupling reaction of allylic sp3 C-H and methylenic sp3 C-H catalyzed by copper bromide and cobalt chloride in the presence of an oxidizing reagent, t-BuOOH. This methodology provides a direct way to use allylic sp3 C-H bonds for forming C-C bonds.     

Stereoselective synthesis of amides possessing a vinylsilicon functionality via a ruthenium catalyzed silylative coupling reaction

An effective stereoselective synthesis of E-N-2-(silyl)vinylamides via silylative coupling of vinyl amides such as N-vinylpyrrolidinone, N-vinylphthalimide, and N-vinylformamide with vinyltrisubstituted silanes catalyzed by [RuH(Cl)(CO)(PCy₃)₂] I is described.     

Propargylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with 1,3-diarylpropynes via oxidative cross-coupling between sp3 C-H and sp3 C-H

A highly efficient oxidative-coupling reaction between diarylpropargylic sp(3) C-H and active methylenic sp(3) C-H was achieved with DDQ as oxidant. The reaction afforded a direct method for the propargylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, thus providing a concise synthesis of the corresponding products.     

Palladium-catalyzed alkylation of sp2 and sp3 C-H bonds with methylboroxine and alkylboronic acids: two distinct C-H activation pathways

Palladium-catalyzed alkylations of sp2 and sp3 C-H bonds with either methylboroxine or alkylboronic acids were developed. Ag2O or AgCO3 is used as a crucial oxidant and promoter for the transmetalation step. Ether, ester, alcohol, and alkene functional groups are tolerated. A new C-H activation pathway differing from the cyclometalation process is elucidated using methylboroxine as the coupling partner.     

Palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbonylation of benzylic C-H bonds via nondirected C(sp3)-H activation

A new strategy for generating benzylpalladium reactive species from toluenes via nondirected C(sp(3))-H activation has been developed. This led to construction of an efficient Pd-catalyzed reaction protocol for the oxidative carboxylation of benzylic C-H bonds to form substituted 2-phenylacetic acid esters and derivatives from inexpensive, commercially available starting materials.