Access to Diarylmethanol Skeletons via a Samarium/Copper-Mediated Sequential Three-Component C-H Functionalization Reaction

A MnCl2-catalyzed synthesis of aldehydes from organohalides by using samarium metal in DMF

A novel coupling reaction between organohalides and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) catalyzed by MnCl2 was investigated in the presence of samarium metal under mild conditions. A variety of aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic aldehydes were produced with good yields in one pot. Bromo substrates showed the most efficient reactivity among the organohalides used in the experiments, and 10 mol% MnCl2 was sufficient to catalyze the reaction. The reaction proceeds smoothly and can be scaled up to the gram level. This is the first combination of samarium and manganese in organic synthesis. Unlike cuprous iodide or silver nitrate, manganese chloride can promote the formation of aliphatic aldehydes. The reaction mechanism is also discussed.

A Journey from June 2018 to October 2021 with N,N-Dimethylformamide and N,N-Dimethylacetamide as Reactants

A rich array of reactions occur using N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) or N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) as reactants, these two amides being able to deliver their own H, C, N, and O atoms for the synthesis of a variety of compounds. This account highlights the literature published since June 2018, completing previous reviews by the author.