Palladium‐Catalyzed Chemoselective Intramolecular Cyclization of 2‐Bromoaryl Alkenenitriles

The chemoselectivity in the palladium‐catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of 2‐(o‐bromoaryl)‐alkenenitriles depends on the nature of α‐substitutents. 2‐(o‐Bromoanilino)alkenenitriles attacked the cyano group, followed by the cyano group transposition and hydrolysis, to give o‐(methylamino)benzonitrile. 2‐(o‐Bromobenzyl)alkenenitriles, 2‐(o‐bromophenylthio)alkenenitriles and 2‐(o‐bromophenoxy)‐alkenenitriles attacked the olefinic double bonds and led to l‐vinyl‐2‐indancecarbonitrile, 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalene‐2‐carbonitriles, 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[b]thiine‐2‐carbonitriles, and 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[b]oxine‐2‐carbonitriles. A general mechanism for the palladium‐catalyzed arylations is proposed.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Intramolecular C?H Difluoroalkylation: Synthesis of Substituted 3,3‐Difluoro‐2‐oxindoles

The synthesis of 3,3‐difluoro‐2‐oxindoles through a robust and efficient palladium‐catalyzed C H difluoroalkylation is described. This process generates a broad range of difluorooxindoles from readily prepared starting materials. The use of BrettPhos as the ligand was crucial for high efficiency. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that oxidative addition is the rate‐determining step for this process.     

Convenient Synthesis of Alkenyl‐, Alkynyl‐, and Allenyl‐Substituted Imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines via Palladium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions

A systematic study on the Stille and Sonogashira cross‐coupling of iodinated imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines was performed, permitting the preparation of various vinyl‐, ethynyl‐, and allenyl‐substituted derivatives. These methods are particularly valuable, given their experimental simplicity and high degree of flexibility with regard to functional groups that can be introduced in positions 3, 6, or 8 of the imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine core. Effects concerning different substitution positions and the nature of the 2‐substituent under various reaction conditions are reported in detail for the above types of unsaturated groups introduced.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Intramolecular CH Difluoroalkylation: Synthesis of Substituted 3,3‐Difluoro‐2‐oxindoles

The synthesis of 3,3‐difluoro‐2‐oxindoles through a robust and efficient palladium‐catalyzed C? H difluoroalkylation is described. This process generates a broad range of difluorooxindoles from readily prepared starting materials. The use of BrettPhos as the ligand was crucial for high efficiency. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that oxidative addition is the rate‐determining step for this process.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Pyrazole‐Directed sp3 C−H Bond Arylation for the Synthesis of β‐Phenethylamines

We have developed a method for palladium‐catalyzed, pyrazole‐directed sp³ C−H bond arylation by aryl iodides. The reaction employs a Pd(OAc)₂ catalyst at 5–10 mol % loading and silver(I) oxide as a halide‐removal agent, and it proceeds in acetic acid or acetic acid/hexafluoroisopropanol solvent. Ozonolysis of the pyrazole moiety affords pharmaceutically important β‐phenethylamines.     

Synthesis of α‐(Fluorophenyl)pyridine by Palladium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reaction

A series of α‐(fluoro‐substituted phenyl)pyridines have been synthesized by means of a palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reaction between fluoro‐substituted phenylboronic acid and 2‐bromopyridine or its derivatives. The reactivities of the phenylboronic acids containing di‐ and tri‐fluoro substituents with α‐pyridyl bromide were investigated in different catalyst systems. Unsuccessful results were observed in the Pd/C and PPh₃ catalyst system due to phenylboronic acid containing electron‐withdrawing F atom(s). For the catalyst system of Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃, the reactions gave moderate yields of 55% –80%, meanwhile, affording 10% –20% of dimerisation (self‐coupling) by‐products, but trace products were obtained in coupling with 2,4‐difluorophenylboronic acids because of steric hinderance. Pd(PPh₃)₄ was more reactive for boronic acids with sterically hindering F atom(s), and the coupling reactions gave good yields of 90% and 91% without any self‐coupling by‐product.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed C?H Fluorosilylation of 2‐Phenylpyridines: Synthesis of Silafluorene Equivalents

Treatment of 2‐phenylpyridines with amino(1,3,2‐dioxaborolan‐2‐yl)diphenylsilane produced fluorosilylated 2‐phenylpyridines in good to excellent yields under palladium catalysis. This reaction is the first example of C H fluorosilylation. Single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis revealed a Lewis acid–base interaction between the silicon and nitrogen atoms, and the obtained fluorosilylated products are silafluorene equivalents. The fluorosilylated products showed stronger fluorescence than the corresponding silafluorene derivative.     

Electrochemical Intramolecular C—H/O—H Cross‐Coupling of 2‐Arylbenzoic Acids

A synthetic protocol to lactones by electro‐oxidative induced C—H activation of 2‐arylbenzoic acids has been developed. By using Na₂SO₄ aqueous solution as a cheap and green supporting electrolyte, different 2‐arylbenzoic acids could provide the corresponding lactones in 30%—90% yields. This reaction could be conducted on a gram scale with a good efficiency as well as a high utility for natural product synthesis.     

Two‐in‐One Strategy for Palladium‐Catalyzed C−H Functionalization in Water

Transition metal catalyzed C?H functionalizations have been developed as powerful methods for C?C bond formations. Directing groups, removable directing groups, traceless directing groups, and transient directing groups (TDGs) have been successfully used to improve the reaction efficiencies. For the development of greener and more sustainable methods, C?H functionalization using a TDG that also serves as a reagent in aqueous solvent was investigated. The palladium‐catalyzed C?H functionalization of tryptamine derivatives using ketones in water successfully generated tetrahydro‐β‐carbolines with a quaternary carbon center at C1. Deuterium‐labeling experiments are discussed to provide insight into the mechanism. The C2‐position of pyridine was also successfully functionalized by this strategy.     

Total Synthesis of Murrayanine Involving 4,5‐Dimethyleneoxazolidin‐2‐ones and a Palladium(0)‐Catalyzed Diaryl Insertion

A new total synthesis of the natural carbazole murrayanine ( 1 ) was developed by using the 4,5‐dimethyleneoxazolidin‐2‐one 12 as starting material. The latter underwent a highly regioselective Diels–Alder cycloaddition with acrylaldehyde (=prop‐2‐enal; 13 ) to give adduct 14 (Scheme 3). Conversion of this adduct into diarylamine derivative 9 was carried out via hydrolysis and methylation (Scheme 4). Differing from our previous synthesis, in which such a diarylamine derivative was transformed into 1 by a Pd^II‐stoichiometric cyclization, this new approach comprised an improved cyclization through a more efficient Pd⁰‐catalyzed intramolecular diaryl coupling which was applied to 9 , thus obtaining the natural carbazole 1 in a higher overall yield.     

Synthesis of Diheteroarylamine Ligands by Palladium‐Catalyzed Mono‐ and Diamination of Dichlorohetero­arenes with Heteroarenamines

The syntheses of bidentate (see 6 and 12 ), bis‐bidentate ( 7, 10 , and 13 ) up to oligo‐bidentate (see 11 and 14 ) diheteroarylamine‐based N,N‐ligands are reported (Tables 2, 4, and 5). In the course of investigations on heteroaromatic (C? N)‐bond formations, a protocol for the Pd‐catalyzed mono‐ and diamination of 2,6‐dichloropyridine ( 1 ) and 4,6‐dichloropyrimidines 5 with heteroaren‐2‐amines 2 and pyrimidine‐4,6‐diamines 8 is developed. The results are applied to the syntheses of the ‘pentamers’ 11a – 11d and the ‘heptamer’ 14 based on 4,6‐disubstituted 2‐alkylpyrimidines 5 and 8 , respectively.     

Rapid Assembly of Diversely Functionalized Spiroindenes by a Three‐Component Palladium‐Catalyzed C−H Amination/Phenol Dearomatization Domino Reaction

A novel palladium‐catalyzed three‐component reaction of phenol‐derived biaryls with N‐benzoyloxyamines and norbornadiene (NBD) has been developed for the assembly of highly functionalized spiroindenes. This domino process was realized through NBD‐assisted C−H amination and phenol dearomatization by forming one C−N bond and two C−C bonds in a single step. Preliminary studies indicated that asymmetric control of this transformation was feasible with chiral ligands. Moreover, the potential synthetic utility of this methodology was highlighted by a series of further transformations.     

Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Amination of Halogenopyridines with Polyamines

Cu^I‐Catalyzed amination of 2‐bromo‐, and 2‐, 3‐, and 4‐iodopyridines with tri‐ and tetraamines aimed at the synthesis of N,N′‐diheteroaryl derivatives was studied. A strong dependence of the product yields on the nature of starting compounds and the ligand used was observed. The increase in the number of ethene‐1,2‐diamine fragments in the polyamine structure led to the increase in the yields of polyheteroarylated compounds, whereas propane‐1,3‐diamine fragments favored the formation of monopyridinyl derivatives and promoted the heteroarylation of the secondary amino groups. 2‐Iodopyridine, as a more reactive compound, readily formed N,N‐diarylated products. The best yields of the target N,N′‐dipyridin‐2‐yl derivatives were 76% in the case of the triamine and 68% in the case of the tetraamine. A comparison of Cu^I‐ and Pd⁰‐mediated heteroarylation of polyamines was also presented.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed C−H Functionalization of Phenyl 2‐Pyridylsulfonates

An efficient palladium(II)‐catalyzed intermolecular direct ortho ‐alkenylation and acetoxylation of phenols has been developed. The reaction proceeded via a seven‐membered cyclopalladated intermediate and showed complete regio‐ and diastereoselectivity. The approach also provided an efficient route for the synthesis of coumarins and benzofurans.