A Three-Component Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative CC Coupling Reaction: A Domino Process in Two Dimensions

Site-Selective Pd-Catalyzed C(sp3 )-H Arylation of Heteroaromatic Ketones

A ligand‐controlled site‐selective C(sp³)−H arylation of heteroaromatic ketones has been developed using Pd catalysis. The reaction occurred selectively at the α‐ or β‐position of the ketone side‐chain. The switch from α‐ to β‐arylation was realized by addition of a pyridone ligand. The α‐arylation process showed broad scope and high site‐ and chemoselectivity, whereas the β‐arylation was more limited. Mechanistic investigations suggested that α‐arylation occurs through C−H activation/oxidative addition/reductive elimination whereas β‐arylation involves desaturation and aryl insertion.

1,2-Aryl Migration Induced by Amide C-N Bond-Formation: Reaction of Alkyl Aryl Ketones with Primary Amines Towards α,α-Diaryl β,γ-Unsaturated γ-Lactams

Rearrangement reactions incorporated into cascade reactions play an important role in rapidly increasing molecular complexity from readily available starting materials. Reported here is a Cu-catalyzed cascade reaction of α-(hetero)aryl-substituted alkyl (hetero)aryl ketones with primary amines that incorporates an unusual 1,2-aryl migration induced by amide C-N bond formation to produce a class of structurally novel α,α-diaryl β,γ-unsaturated γ-lactams in generally good-to-excellent yields. This cascade reaction has a broad substrate scope with respect to primary amines, allows a wide spectrum of (hetero)aryl groups to smoothly undergo 1,2-migration, and tolerates electronically diverse α-substituents on the (hetero)aryl ring of the ketones. Mechanistically, this 1,2-aryl migration may stem from the intramolecular amide C-N bond formation which induces nucleophilic migration of the aryl group from the acyl carbon center to the electrophilic carbon center that is conjugated with the resulting iminium moiety.

Palladium-Catalyzed 4-Fold Domino Reaction for the Synthesis of a Polymeric Double Switch

A palladium-catalyzed 4-fold domino reaction consisting of two carbopalladation reactions and two C-H activation reactions, followed by the introduction of an acrylate moiety, led to the tetra-substituted helical alkene A2, using the dialkyne A3 as a substrate. The alkene was copolymerized with butyl acrylate by using the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) to give the desired polymeric switch A1.

Organocatalyzed CO2 Trapping Using Alkynyl Indoles

The first organocatalyzed trapping of CO2 through C-C and C-O bond formation is reported. Alkynyl indoles together with catalytic amounts of an organic base and five equivalents of CO2 resulted in the formation new heterocyclic structures. These tricyclic indole-containing products were successfully prepared under mild reaction conditions from aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic alkynyl indoles with complete regioselectivity. Further investigations suggest that C-C bond formation is the initial intermolecular step, followed by lactone-forming C-O bond formation.

Ru-catalysed C-H arylation of indoles and pyrroles with boronic acids: scope and mechanistic studies

The Ru-catalysed C2–H arylation of indoles and pyrroles by using boronic acids under oxidative conditions is reported. This reaction can be applied to tryptophan derivatives and tolerates a wide range of functional groups on both coupling partners, including bromides and iodides, which can be further derivatised selectively. New indole-based ruthenacyclic complexes are described and investigated as possible intermediates in the reaction. Mechanistic studies suggest the on-cycle intermediates do not possess a para-cymene ligand and that the on-cycle metalation occurs through an electrophilic attack by the Ru centre.