Highly regio- and stereoselective ruthenium(II)-catalyzed direct ortho-alkenylation of aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes with activated alkenes under open atmosphere

Various aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes reacted with activated alkenes in the presence of a catalytic amount of [{RuCl(2)(p-cymene)}(2)], AgSbF(6), and Cu(OAc)(2)·H(2)O to give substituted alkene derivatives in a highly regio- and stereoselective manner. The corresponding alkene derivatives were further converted into unusual four-membered cyclic ketones or a polycyclic isochromanone derivative via a photochemical rearrangement. Notably, the catalytic reaction was conducted under an open atmosphere.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed oxidative vinylation of heteroarene carboxylic acids with alkenes via regioselective C-H bond cleavage

The ruthenium-catalyzed oxidative vinylation of thiophene-2-carboxylic acids with alkenes efficiently proceeds through directed C-H bond cleavage to give the corresponding 3-vinylated products. Similarly, benzothiophene-, benzofuran-, pyrrole-, and indolecarboxylic acids also undergo regioselective vinylation.     

Potassium tert-butoxide-mediated regioselective silaboration of aromatic alkenes

The regio- and diastereoselective silaboration of aromatic alkenes with a silylboron compound proceeds in the presence of a catalytic amount of potassium tert-butoxide, providing a complementary method to the corresponding transition metal-catalyzed reactions.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed ortho-alkenylation of aromatic ketones with alkenes by C-H bond activation

A ruthenium-catalyzed chelation-assisted C-H bond activation of aromatic ketones and the reaction with olefins to provide Heck-type products in good to excellent yields with a high regio- and stereoselective manner is described.     

Highly regioselective palladium-catalysed oxidative allylic C-H carbonylation of alkenes

Pd-catalysed direct oxidative carbonylation of allylic C-H bonds with carbon monoxide was first described. This new procedure shows that the inherent requirement for a leaving group in the Tsuji-Trost palladium-catalysed allylic carbonylation can be lifted, which provides a new route for accessing more synthetically useful β-enoic acid esters with high regioselectivity.     

Palladium-catalyzed oxidative alkynylation of alkenes via C-C bond bleavage under oxygen atmosphere

Palladium-catalyzed oxidative alkynylation of alkenes using tert-propargylic alcohols as alkynylation reagents via C-C bond cleavage under an oxygen atmosphere affords the corresponding ene-yne compounds.     

Iridium-catalyzed carbonyl group-directed oxidative coupling of arenes with alkenes

The iridium complex [Cp¹IrCl₂]₂ is a good catalyst for the directed oxidative coupling of arenes with alkenes; a wide range of carbonyl functionalities (NHCOR, CONH₂ and COR) can be employed as the directing group.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed coupling of aldimines with arylboronates: new synthetic method for aromatic ketones

Using the chelation strategy, the reaction of aldimines bearing the 3-picolin-2-yl group with various arylboronates in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst furnished the corresponding ketimines in high yields for a short reaction time; the resulting ketimines were readily converted to ketones by hydrolysis.     

Optically active aromatic and heteroaromatic alpha-amino acids by a one-pot catalytic enantioselective addition of aromatic and heteroaromatic C-H bonds to alpha-imino esters

The development of a practical one-pot catalytic enantioselective procedure for the synthesis of non-natural aromatic and heteroaromatic alpha-amino acids is reported. Starting from readily available starting materials and application of a chiral BINAP-Cu(I) catalyst, the optically active products are formed with readily removable N-protecting groups. The scope of the reaction is demonstrated by the addition of substituted furans, thiophenes, pyrroles, and aromatic compounds to N-alkoxycarbonyl-alpha-imino esters in good yields and with enantioselectivities up to 96% ee for the furans, 93% ee for the thiophenes, and 98% for the aromatic compounds. The protecting groups are readily removed, and various transformations of the aromatic and heteroaromatic alpha-amino acids are demonstrated. The coordination of the N-alkoxycarbonyl alpha-imino ester to the chiral BINAP-Cu(I) complex and the enantioselectivity of the catalyst is discussed on the basis of the DFT calculations and X-ray crystallographic data.     

Advances in the synthesis of aromatic and heteroaromatic carboxylic acids and their esters

Modern approaches to the synthesis of aromatic and heteroaromatic carboxylic acids and their esters based on the latest advances in organic chemistry are compiled and systematized in this review.     

Palladium-catalyzed regioselective oxidative amination of alkenes: an efficient route to the synthesis of pyrrolocoumarin and pyrroloquinolone derivatives

Palladium-catalyzed IBX-induced intramolecular oxidative amination of alkenes has been utilized for the synthesis of pyrrolocoumarin and pyrroloquinolone derivatives in excellent yields in a short reaction time.     

1,2-Diethoxyethane catalyzed oxidative cleavage of gem-disubstituted aromatic alkenes to ketones under minimal solvent conditions

Aerobic oxidation using pure dioxygen gas as the oxidant has attracted much attention, but its application in synthetic chemistry has been significantly hampered by the complexity of catalytic system and potential risk of high-energy dioxygen gas. By employing 1,2-diethoxyethane as a catalyst and ambient air as an oxidant, an efficient protocol for the construction of various aryl-alkyl and diaryl ketones through oxidative cleavage of gem-disubstituted aromatic alkenes under minimal solvent conditions has been achieved.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed propargylation of aromatic compounds with propargylic alcohols

A novel ruthenium-catalyzed propargylation of aromatic compounds with propargylic alcohols has been found to afford the corresponding propargylated aromatic products in good yields with complete regioselectivity. The catalytic reaction provides a potential usefulness for practical application in organic synthesis, because the selective propargylation of aromatic compounds with an aromatic C-H bond cleavage is generally difficult.     

Fe(III)-catalyzed oxidative coupling of alkylnitriles with aromatic carboxylic acids: Facile access to cyanomethyl esters

The first oxidative coupling of alkylnitriles with aromatic carboxylic acids using di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP) as oxidant was achieved under the catalysis of ionic Fe(III) complexes bearing an imidazolinium cation. This protocol features nontoxic iron catalysis, direct α-C(sp³)–H bond oxidative esterification of alkylnitriles, non-prefunctionalized starting materials, and a broad substrate scope with outstanding steric hindrance tolerance, providing a novel, straightforward, and green approach toward cyanomethyl ester synthesis.     

Pd-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling of anilides with olefins through regioselective C-H bond activation

Pd-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling of anilides with olefins was achieved through selective C-H bond activation. Compared to the previous studies, not only did we successfully use molecular oxygen to replace the chemical oxidant, but we also obtained improved yields for a number of substrates. The reaction tended to give high yields for electron-rich anilides and electron-deficient olefins, with a best yield up to 91%.     

Highly regioselective catalytic oxidative coupling reactions: synthetic and mechanistic investigations

A highly efficient and regioselective Pd-catalyzed method for the oxidative coupling of arylpyridine derivatives is reported. Remarkably, the reactions proceed at room temperature and are compatible with diverse functionalities, including aryl halides and thiophenes. Mechanistic studies suggest that these transformations proceed via a previously unprecedented mechanism involving two different pyridine-directed C-H activation reactions-one at a PdII center and one at PdIV.     

Metal-dependent regioselective oxidative coupling of 5,10,15-triarylporphyrins with DDQ-Sc(OTf)3 and formation of an oxo-quinoidal porphyrin

[reaction: see text] Regioselectivity of the oxidative coupling of 5,10,15-triarylporphyrin metal complexes with DDQ-Sc(OTf)(3) was dependent on the central metal and meso-aryl substituent. Oxo-quinoidal porphyrin was obtained from Ni(II) porphyrin under the same conditions.     

Titanocene-catalyzed regioselective carbomagnesation of alkenes and dienes

A new method for regioselective carbomagnesation of alkenes and dienes has been developed by the use of a titanocene catalyst. This reaction proceeds efficiently at 0 degrees C in THF in the presence of Cp(2)TiCl(2) by the combined use of organic halides (R-X; R = alkyl, aryl and vinyl) and n-BuMgCl to afford benzyl, alpha-silylalkyl, or allyl Grignard reagents, which were trapped with various electrophiles. The present reaction involves (i) addition of carbon radicals toward alkenes or dienes in the carbon-carbon bond-forming step and (ii) transmetalation on Ti of benzyl-, alpha-silylalkyl-, or allyltitanocene with n-BuMgCl in the carbon-magnesium bond-forming step. The scope and limitations of this reaction have also been examined.     

Rhodium- and iridium-catalyzed oxidative coupling of benzoic acids with alkynes via regioselective C-H bond cleavage

The oxidative coupling of benzoic acids with internal alkynes effectively proceeds in the presence of [Cp*RhCl2]2 and Cu(OAc)2 x H2O as catalyst and oxidant, respectively, to produce the corresponding isocoumarin derivatives. The copper salt can be reduced to a catalytic quantity under air. Interestingly, by using [Cp*IrCl2]2 in place of [Cp*RhCl2]2, the substrates undergo 1:2 coupling accompanied by decarboxylation to afford naphthalene derivatives exclusively. In this case, Ag2CO3 acts as an effective oxidant.