Palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions of aryl chlorides

Collectively, palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions represent some of the most powerful and versatile tools available to synthetic organic chemists. Their widespread popularity stems in part from the fact that they are generally tolerant to a large number of functional groups, which allows them to be employed in a wide range of applications. However, for many years a major limitation of palladium-catalyzed coupling processes has been the poor reactivity of aryl chlorides, which from the standpoints of cost and availability are more attractive substrates than the corresponding bromides, iodides, and triflates. Traditional palladium/triarylphosphane catalysts are only effective for the coupling of certain activated aryl chlorides (for example, heteroaryl chlorides and substrates that bear electron-withdrawing groups), but not for aryl chlorides in general. Since 1998, major advances have been described by a number of research groups addressing this challenge; catalysts based on bulky, electron-rich phosphanes and carbenes have proved to be particularly mild and versatile. This review summarizes both the seminal early work and the exciting recent developments in the area of palladium-catalyzed couplings of aryl chlorides.     

Palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions of tetrafluoroethylene with arylzinc compounds

Organofluorine compounds are widely used in all aspects of the chemical industry. Although tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) is an example of an economical bulk organofluorine feedstock, the use of TFE is mostly limited to the production of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and copolymers with other alkenes. Furthermore, no catalytic transformation of TFE that involves carbon-fluorine bond activation has been reported to date. We herein report the first example of a palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of TFE with arylzinc reagents in the presence of lithium iodide, giving α,β,β-trifluorostyrene derivatives in excellent yields.     

Palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions towards the synthesis of well-defined thiophene-oligomers

Heck- and Ullmann-type palladium-catalyzed reactions were used in order to perform the synthesis of 3′,4″-dioctyl-2,2′,5′2″,5″,2′″-tetrathienyl. The desired oligothiophene was synthesized in five steps with a total yield of 38% by a Heck-type reaction of bromo-derivatives and a yield of 45% by an Ullmann-type reaction of iodo-precursors.     

Palladium-catalyzed carbonylative coupling reactions between Ar-X and carbon nucleophiles

Palladium-catalyzed carbonylative coupling reactions of aromatic halides and related compounds have undergone a rapid development during recent years. Nowadays, a plethora of palladium catalysts are available for the synthesis of ketones, alkynones, chalcones, etc., which are important intermediates in the manufacture of dyes, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and other industrial products. In this critical review, we summarize the development of these carbonylative transformations with carbon nucleophiles (136 references).     

Palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions of (ArCH2)Ti(O-i-Pr)3 with aromatic or heteroaromatic bromides

Three benzyltitanium compounds of (ArCH₂)Ti(O-i-Pr)₃ (Ar = Ph (1a), 4-MeOC₆H₄ (1b), 4-FC₆H₄ (1c)) were prepared and used as benzyl nucleophiles for coupling reactions with aromatic or heteroaromatic bromides. The simple catalytic system of 1 mol % Pd(OAc)₂ and 2 mol % PCy₃ worked efficiently for a wide variety of aromatic bromides, producing diarylmethanes in good to excellent yields of up to 96%. Coupling reactions of hindered aromatic bromides or aromatic bromides containing electron-withdrawing substituents were slower over longer reaction times of 3–6 h. Reactions of heteroaromatic bromides of bromopyridines, bromofurans, or bromothiophenes with benzyl reagents of 1a or 1b required either longer reaction times of 12–24 h or a higher reaction temperature of 80 °C, producing pyridyl-, furyl-, and thienyl-arylmethanes in moderate yields.     

Syntheses and reactions of 2-halo-5-thiazolecarboxylates

A variety of 2-halo-5-thiazolecarboxylates was prepared from substituted-3-aminoacrylates and 3-ketoes-ters. Selective reduction of 2-chloro-5-thiazolecarboxylates 4a, 4i and 4j with sodium borohydride in ethanol provided the corresponding 2-halo-5-thiazolemethanols 27-29 . Nucleophilic displacements on [2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-5-thiazolyl]methyl methanesulfonate ( 32c ) occurred selectively at the 5-substituent to provide 2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-5-(heteroatom-substituted-methyl)thiazoles 32d-f.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 2] trimethylenemethane cycloaddition reactions

Transition-metal-catalyzed trimethylenemethane (TMM) [3 + 2] cycloadditions provide direct routes to functionalized cyclopentanes. This reaction has been shown to be a highly chemo-, regio-, and diastereoselective process. We report a palladium-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 2] trimethylenemethane (TMM) cycloaddition between 3-acetoxy-2-trimethylsilylmethyl-1-propene and various di- and trisubstituted olefins. Yields of exo-methylenecyclopentane products range from 59 to 99%, and enantiomeric excesses range from 58 to 92% ee.     

Palladium-catalyzed sequential alkylation-alkenylation reactions: new three-component coupling leading to oxacycles

A new three-component domino reaction catalyzed by palladium was devised, producing polysubstituted bicyclic molecules in good yields from readily available substrates. The reaction conditions and the scope of the process were examined, and a possible mechanism is proposed. [reaction: see text]     

Palladium-catalyzed C3-benzylation of indoles

A general method for regioselective C3-benzylation of indoles has been developed. Various 3-substituted indoles and benzyl methyl carbonates with different electronic properties react under mild conditions to afford a diverse range of 3-benzylindolenine products in good yields.     

Palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative sp3-sp3 coupling of nitrobenzene acetic esters

Allylic esters of nitrobenzene acetic acids undergo facile palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative coupling. Both mono- and dinitroarene substrates give high yields of the coupled products. Moreover, the rates of the reactions suggest that decarboxylation is rate-limiting and substrates that sterically disfavor attainment of the reactive conformation for decarboxylation are not viable. Finally, reduction of the product nitroarenes to the corresponding anilines provides access to a variety of heterocycles including quinolines and dihydroquinolones.     

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of 2-diazonaphthoquinones with arylboronic acids

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of 2-diazonaphthoquinones and arylboronic acids proceeded by the treatment with Pd(OAc)₂ in acetic acid to afford 2-aryl-1-naphthols.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric coupling reactions between allylic acetates and organozinc reagents. Mechanistic implications

Asymmetric induction and deuterium distribution studies have provided information about the mechanism of the palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction between allylic acetates and phenylzinc chloride, namely the presence of a symmetric η³-allylic ligand in the intermediate, probably along with a monodentate phosphine ligand.     

Palladium-catalyzed Heck reactions of styrene derivatives and 2-iodo-p-carborane

p-Carborane has been vinylated on the 2-B-atom in high yields using the Heck reaction. Thus, the reaction between 2-iodo-p-carborane and various styrenes [4-H-, 4-C(6)H(4)-, 4-Cl-, 4-Br-, 4-NO(2)-, 4-CH(3)O-, and 4-CH(3)-] resulted in the production of the corresponding trans-beta-(2-B-p-carboranyl)styrene in DMF solution when reacted in the presence of silver phosphate and the palladacycle Herrmann's catalyst.     

Palladium-catalyzed inter- and intramolecular coupling reactions of aryl and vinyl halides mediated by indium

Treatment of aryl and vinyl halides with 50 mol % of 100 mesh indium, 2.5 mol % of Pd-C, and 1.5 equiv of LiCl under mild conditions (DMF, 100 degrees C, 1-3 h) could produce coupling products efficiently in good to excellent yields in which the C(sp2)-C(sp2) bond was formed. This reagent worked equally well with both intermolecular and intramolecular coupling reactions, producing a variety of biaryls, 1,3-dienes, and cyclic compounds.     

Rapid, robust, clean, catalyst-free synthesis of 2-halo-3-carboxyindoles

A novel synthesis of 2-halo-3-carboxyindoles from 2-(2,2-dihalovinyl)anilines was discovered. Reaction conditions and substrate applicability were studied. Optimally, the reaction takes only minutes when these substrates are heated in DMSO at 120 °C in the presence of cesium carbonate. However, the reaction is robust and takes place at a wide range of temperatures, is tolerant of aqueous reaction conditions, and can be performed in a variety of polar solvent/carbonate base combinations—where the limiting factor is base solubility. A wide range of substituents is tolerated on the 2-(2,2-dihalovinyl)anilines, and yields are generally high, requiring only acidic aqueous work-up to obtain pure products. No catalyst is required for the transformation. The mechanism is believed to involve initial formation of an alkynyl bromide intermediate followed by ring closure and carbon dioxide trapping, leading to product formation.     

Palladium-catalyzed C3-selective mono-arylation of 4-hydroxycoumarin

4-Hydroxycoumarin (1) is a useful synthon in synthetic organic chemistry and a basic skeleton of several bioactive compounds. The direct functionalization of 1 with novel catalytic system would provide an efficient meaning for construction of a chemical library. Here, we developed a new catalytic system using palladium(II) acetate for the C3 regioselective mono-arylation of 1. The 3-mono-arylated and the 3,4-disubstituted coumarins were synthesized to enable derivatization. This palladium-catalyzed direct arylation of 1 is effective for rapid diversification and chemical library construction.     

Synthesis of 3-halo-2,5-disubstituted furans via CuX mediated cyclization-halogenation reactions

The Cu(I) halide (X = I, Br, Cl) mediated reactions of Cbz-protected cis-2-phenylethenyl-3-hydroxypyrrolidine gave novel 3-halo-2,5-trisubstituted furans in good yields, via a cyclization-halogenation, ring-opening reaction sequence. In contrast, the reactions with CuCN gave mainly the corresponding 3-cyanofuro[3,2-b]pyrrole formed from a cyclization-cyanation reaction.     

Palladium-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of benzo[b][1,6]naphthyridines via Sonogashira coupling and annulation reactions from 2-chloroquinoline-3-carbonitriles

Palladium-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted benzo[b][1,6]naphthyridines and [1,6]naphthyridines has been described from easily accessible precursors, 2-chloroquinoline-3-carbonitriles and 2-chloropyrido-3-carbonitrile via sequential additions of palladium-catalyst for Sonogashira-coupling and the following annulations in good to excellent yields. A plausible mechanism for annulation is discussed.