Rhodium‐Catalyzed Directed Sulfenylation of Arene CH Bonds

The rhodium‐catalyzed intermolecular direct C?H thiolation of arenes with aryl and alkyl disulfides was developed for the first time to provide a convenient route to aryl thioethers. This strategy is compatible with many different directing groups and exhibits excellent functional group tolerance. More significantly, mono‐ or dithiolation can be selectively achieved, thus providing a straightforward way for selective preparation of aryl thioethers and dithioethers.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Isoindolones by Chiral Cyclopentadienyl‐Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed CH Functionalizations

Directed Cp*Rh^III‐catalyzed carbon–hydrogen (C? H) bond functionalizations have evolved as a powerful strategy for the construction of heterocycles. Despite their high value, the development of related asymmetric reactions is largely lagging behind due to a limited availability of robust and tunable chiral cyclopentadienyl ligands. Rhodium complexes comprising a chiral Cp ligand with an atropchiral biaryl backbone enables an asymmetric synthesis of isoindolones from arylhydroxamates and weakly alkyl donor/acceptor diazo derivatives as one‐carbon component under mild conditions. The complex guides the substrates with a high double facial selectivity yielding the chiral isoindolones in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities.     

Mechanistic Study on Rh‐Catalyzed Stereoselective CC/CH Activation of tert‐Cyclobutanols

A mechanistic study was performed on the Rh‐catalyzed stereoselective C?C/C?H activation of tert‐cyclobutanols. The present study corroborated the previous proposal that the reaction occurs by metalation, β‐C elimination, 1,4‐Rh transfer, C?O insertion, and a final catalyst‐regeneration step. The rate‐determining step was found to be the 1,4‐Rh transfer step, whereas the stereoselectivity‐determining step did not correspond to any of the aforementioned steps. It was found that both the thermodynamic stability of the product of the β‐C elimination and the kinetic feasibility of the 1,4‐Rh transfer and C?O insertion steps made important contributions. In other words, three steps (i.e., β‐C elimination, 1,4‐Rh transfer, and C?O insertion) were found to be important in determining the configurations of the two quaternary stereocenters.     

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.     

Synthesis of Annelated Phospholes through Intramolecular CH Activation by Monovalent Phosphorus

Electrophilic terminal phosphinidene complexes [Ar‐Ar‐P‐W(CO)₅] (Ar‐Ar: biaryl or an analogue thereof) undergo a spontaneous insertion of the phosphorus atom into the vicinal C? H bonds to give annelated phospholes. Twelve examples are described, including biphenyl, thienyl, pyrrolyl, and benzofuryl groups as biaryl moieties. The activation energy of the insertion reaction is quite low (about 2 kcal mol^?1).     

Oxygen‐Promoted CH Bond Activation at Palladium

[Pd(P(Ar)(tBu)₂)₂] ( 1 , Ar=naphthyl) reacts with molecular oxygen to form Pd^II hydroxide dimers in which the naphthyl ring is cyclometalated and one equivalent of phosphine per palladium atom is released. This reaction involves the cleavage of both C? H and O? O bonds, two transformations central to catalytic aerobic oxidizations of hydrocarbons. Observations at low temperature suggest the initial formation of a superoxo complex, which then generates a peroxo complex prior to the C? H activation step. A transition state for energetically viable C? H activation across a Pd? peroxo bond was located computationally.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Construction of Heteroatom‐Containing π‐Conjugated Systems by Intramolecular Oxidative CH/CH Coupling Reaction

Synthesis of heteroatom‐containing ladder‐type π‐conjugated molecules was successfully achieved via a palladium‐catalyzed intramolecular oxidative C?H/C?H cross‐coupling reaction. This reaction provides a variety of π‐conjugated molecules bearing heteroatoms, such as nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur atoms, and a carbonyl group. The π‐conjugated molecules were synthesized efficiently, even in gram scale, and larger π‐conjugated molecules were also obtained by a double C?H/C?H cross‐coupling reaction and successive oxidative cycloaromatization.     

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.     

Diaryliodoniums by Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed CH Activation: Mild Synthesis and Diversified Functionalizations

Diaryliodonium salts play an increasingly important role as an aryl source. Reported is the first synthesis of diaryliodoniums by rhodium(III)‐catalyzed C? H hyperiodination of electron‐poor arenes under chelation assistance. This C? I coupling reaction occurred at room temperature with high regio‐selectivity and functional‐group compatibility. Subsequent diversified nucleophilic functionalization of a diaryliodonium allowed facile construction of C? C, C? N, C? O, C? S, C? P and C? Br bonds, and in all cases the initial functionalization occurred at the arene containing the chelating‐group.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed CS and CN Functionalization of Arenes: Combination of CH Activation and Hypervalent Iodine Chemistry

Rhodium‐catalyzed sulfonylation, thioetherification, thiocyanation, and other heterofunctionalizations of arenes bearing a heterocyclic directing group have been realized. The reaction proceeds by initial Rh^III‐catalyzed C?H hyperiodination of arene at room temperature followed by uncatalyzed nucleophilic functionalization. A diaryliodonium salt is isolated as an intermediate, which represents umpolung of the arene substrate, in contrast to previous studies that suggested umpolung of the coupling partner.     

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.     

General Method for the Synthesis of Salicylic Acids from Phenols through Palladium‐Catalyzed Silanol‐Directed CH Carboxylation

A silanol‐directed, palladium‐catalyzed C? H carboxylation reaction of phenols to give salicylic acids has been developed. This method features high efficiency and selectivity, and excellent functional‐group tolerance. The generality of this method was demonstrated by the carboxylation of estrone and by the synthesis of an unsymmetrically o,o′‐disubstituted phenolic compound through two sequential C? H functionalization processes.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Functionalization of Aromatic CH Bonds by Electrophilic Trapping of Metal‐Carbene‐Induced Zwitterionic Intermediates

Asymmetric functionalization of aromatic C? H bonds of N,N‐disubstituted anilines with diazo compounds and imines is reported for the efficient construction of α,α‐diaryl benzylic quaternary stereocenters in good yields with high diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities. This Rh^II/chiral phosphoric acid cocatalyzed transformation is proposed to proceed through a metal‐carbene‐induced zwitterionic intermediate which undergoes electrophilic trapping. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first asymmetric example of metal carbene‐induced intermolecular functionalization of aryl C? H bonds.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed CH Activation and Intermolecular Annulation with Allenes

A new and efficient Pd^II‐catalyzed intermolecular annulation of N‐benzoylsulfonamide with allenes for the synthesis of 3,4‐dihydroisoquinolin‐1(2H)‐ones is reported. This C?H functionalization is compatible with ambient air and moisture, and it can be applied to terminal or internal allenes with di?erent synthetically attractive functional groups. Control experiments and a kinetic isotope effect study are conducted and a plausible mechanism is proposed.     

Aniline Carbamates: A Versatile and Removable Motif for Palladium‐Catalyzed Directed CH Activation

The aniline carbamate is introduced as a new removable directing group for C?H activation. Its versatility and ability as a directing group are demonstrated by its use in the ortho‐arylation of a wide variety of aniline derivatives under palladium(II) catalysis, with symmetric diaryliodonium salts as aryl donors. The reaction differs from previously reported arylations in its selectivity and its mechanism, as elucidated by kinetic and isotopic experiments. The directing group can also be easily removed under a variety of conditions.     

Acylation of (Hetero)Arenes through CH Activation with Aroyl Surrogates

In this Minireview, the major achievements in the acylation of arenes and heteroarenes by C?H activation with aroyl groups are summarized and discussed. As the products are carbonyl‐containing compounds that are typical products from carbonylation chemistry, the possible inspirations for these reactions are also discussed, as are mechanistic issues and possible problems for carbonylative diaryl ketone synthesis by C?H activation.     

Remote meta‐CH Olefination of Phenylacetic Acids Directed by a Versatile U‐Shaped Template

meta‐C? H olefination of phenylacetic acid derivatives has been achieved using a commercially available nitrile‐containing template. The identification of N‐formyl‐protected glycine as the ligand (Formyl‐Gly‐OH) was crucial for the development of this reaction. Versatility of the template approach in accommodating macrocyclopalladation processes with different ring sizes is demonstrated.     

Hydroarylations of Heterobicyclic Alkenes through Rhodium‐Catalyzed Directed CH Functionalizations of S‐Aryl Sulfoximines

Rhodium‐catalyzed directed CH‐functionalizations have been used in hydroarylations of heterobicyclic alkenes with NH‐sulfoximines. Unexpectedly, the bicyclic framework is retained, resulting in the formation of addition products being attractive intermediates for functionalized molecules that are difficult to prepare by other means.