Ligand-Assisted Heteroaryl C(sp2 )−H Bond Activation by a Cationic Ruthenium(II) Complex for Alkenylation of Heteroarenes with Alkynes Directed by Biorelevant Heterocycles

Methane Sulfonation via a Free-Radical Mechanism by Trifluoroacetylsulfuric Acid

Using trifluoroacetyl sulfuric acid (TFAOSO₃H), we discovered a new methane activation method and revealed its radical pathway under mild conditions. Upon the addition of a radical initiator with methane, the crude solution of TFAOSO₃H developed the methyltrifluoroacetylsulfate radical ((TFAO)CH₃S(OH)O₂•). The resulting (TFAO)CH₃S(OH)O₂• behaved as a critical radical propagator for carbon-hydrogen bond activation, culminating in successful methane sulfonation. With 9.5 mol % of K₂S₂O₈, TFAOSO₃H and methane were selectively converted to methanesulfonic acid in 94 and 86% conversion yields, respectively.

Domino synthesis of functionalized pyridine carboxylates under gallium catalysis: Unravelling the reaction pathway and the role of the nitrogen source counter anion

The catalytic potential of various metal Lewis acid catalysts have been assessed to derive a high-yielding, multi-component domino synthesis of functionalized pyridines from (E)-3-(dimethylamino)-1-aryl/heteroaryl-prop-2-en-1-ones, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, and an ammonium salt (as the nitrogen precursor). Amongst the various metal halides, tetrafluoroborates, perchlorates, and triflates used as the catalyst GaI3 proved to be the most effective. The mechanistic course of the most plausible pathway has been outlined as the intermediate formation of imine/enamine by the reaction of the 1,3-dicarbonyl compound with ammonia (liberated in situ from the ammonium salt used as the nitrogen source), which participates in the domino nucleophilic Michael reaction to the (2E)-3-(dimethylamino)-1-aryl/hetroarylprop-2-en-1-one by its active methylene carbon through its enamine form followed by intramolecular cyclization and aromatization. The effect of different ammonium salts as the nitrogen source has been investigated and NH4OAc was found to be best. The influence of the acetate counter anion of NH4OAc on the progress of the reaction was studied and its specific role in the cyclization and subsequent aromatization has been revealed. This work offers distinct advantages compared to the literature reported methodologies on the count of several green index parameters.

Mechanochemical Ruthenium-Catalyzed Ortho-Alkenylation of N-Heteroaryl Arenes with Alkynes under Ball-Milling Conditions

The mechanochemical, solvent-free Ru(II)-catalyzed alkenylation of N-heteroaryl arenes with alkynes has been successfully described. A wide spectrum of arenes bearing N-heteroaryl moieties such as imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine, imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidine, benzo[d]imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole, imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole, 2H-indazole, 1H-indazole, 1H-pyrazole, and 1,2,4-oxadiazol-5(4H)-one as a directing group reacted with various substituted alkynes under ball milling in the presence of [Ru(p-cymene)Cl₂]₂, affording dialkenylated products in moderate to good yields. The reaction of 2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-dione with 1-phenyl-1-propyne afforded a monoalkenylated product. Similarly, reaction of 2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine with aliphatic terminal alkynes produced a monoalkenylated derivative as the major product along with minor amount of dialkenylated product. The developed method exhibited excellent functional group compatibility, broad substrate scope, shorter reaction times, and no external heating. Moreover, the method can be readily scaled-up as demonstrated by gram-scale synthesis of 2-(2,6-bis((E)1-phenylprop-1-en-2-yl)phenyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine.

Ruthenium (II) Catalyzed C(sp2 )-H Bond Alkenylation of 2-Arylbenzo[d]oxazole and 2-Arylbenzo[d]thiazole with Unactivated Olefins

Functionalization of the bio-relevant heterocycles 2-arylbenzo[d]oxazole and 2-arylbenzo[d]thiazole has been achieved through Ru(II)-catalyzed alkenylation with unactivated olefins leading to selective formation of the mono-alkenylated products. This approach has a broad substrate scope with respect to the coupling partners, affords high yields, and works for gram scale synthesis using a readily available Ru-based catalyst. Mechanistic studies reveal a C-H activation pathway for the dehydrogenative coupling leading to the alkenylation. However, the results of the ESI-MS-guided deuterium kinetic isotope effect studies indicate that the C-H activation stage may not be the rate-determining step of the reaction. The use of a radical scavenging agent such as TEMPO did not show any detrimental effect on the reaction outcome, eliminating the possibility of the involvement of a free-radical pathway.

Benzothiazole Synthesis: Mechanistic Investigation of an In Situ-Generated Photosensitizing Disulfide

The use of a visible light absorbing intermediate as a photosensitizer makes a chemical process simple and sustainable, obviating the need for the use of chemical additives. Herein, the formation of a photosensitizing disulfide in benzothiazole synthesis from 2-aminothiophenol and aldehydes was proposed and confirmed through in-depth mechanistic studies. A series of photophysical and electrochemical investigations revealed that an in situ-generated disulfide photosensitizes molecular oxygen to generate the key oxidants, singlet oxygen and superoxide anion, for the dehydrogenation step.

A comprehensive overview of directing groups applied in metal-catalysed C-H functionalisation chemistry

The present review is devoted to summarizing the recent advances (2015-2017) in the field of metal-catalysed group-directed C-H functionalisation. In order to clearly showcase the molecular diversity that can now be accessed by means of directed C-H functionalisation, the whole is organized following the directing groups installed on a substrate. Its aim is to be a comprehensive reference work, where a specific directing group can be easily found, together with the transformations which have been carried out with it. Hence, the primary format of this review is schemes accompanied with a concise explanatory text, in which the directing groups are ordered in sections according to their chemical structure. The schemes feature typical substrates used, the products obtained as well as the required reaction conditions. Importantly, each example is commented on with respect to the most important positive features and drawbacks, on aspects such as selectivity, substrate scope, reaction conditions, directing group removal, and greenness. The targeted readership are both experts in the field of C-H functionalisation chemistry (to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress made in the last years) and, even more so, all organic chemists who want to introduce the C-H functionalisation way of thinking for a design of straightforward, efficient and step-economic synthetic routes towards molecules of interest to them. Accordingly, this review should be of particular interest also for scientists from industrial R&D sector. Hence, the overall goal of this review is to promote the application of C-H functionalisation reactions outside the research groups dedicated to method development and establishing it as a valuable reaction archetype in contemporary R&D, comparable to the role cross-coupling reactions play to date.