Geländer Molecules with Orthogonal Joints: Synthesis of Macrocyclic Dimers

Orthogonal joints, understood as connections with an angle of 90°, were introduced in the design of the "Geländer" model compounds 1 and 2. The banister, consisting of a conjugated carbazole dimer linked by either 1,3-butadiyne (2) or a single thiophene (1), wraps around an axis composed of a phthalimide dimer due to the dimensional mismatch of both subunits, which are interconnected by phenylene rungs. The "Geländer" structure was assembled from a monomer comprising the 1,4-diaminobenzene rung with one amino substituent as part of a 4-bromo phthalimide subunit forming the orthogonal junction to the axis, and the other as part of a masked 2-ethynyl carbazole as orthogonal joint to the banister. The macrocycle was obtained by two sequential homocoupling steps. A first dimerization by a reductive homocoupling assembled the axis, while an oxidative acetylene coupling served as ring-closing reaction. The formed butadiyne was further derivatized to a thiophene, rendering all carbons of the model compound sp² hybridized. Both helical structures were fully characterized and chirally resolved. Assignment of the enantiomers was achieved by simulation of chiroptical properties and enantiopure synthesis.

The Rise of 1,4-BN-Heteroarenes: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

BN-heteroarenes, which employ both boron and nitrogen in aromatic hydrocarbons, have gained great attention in the fields of organic chemistry and materials science. Nevertheless, the extensive studies on BN-heteroarenes are largely limited to 1,2-azaborine-based compounds with B-N covalent bonds, whereas 1,3- and 1,4-BN-heteroarenes are relatively rare due to their greater challenge in the synthesis. Recently, significant progresses have been achieved in the synthesis and applications of BN-heteroarenes featuring 1,4-azaborines, especially driven by their significant potential as multiresonant thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) materials. Therefore, it is timely to review these advances from the chemistry perspective. This review summarizes the synthetic methods and recent achievements of 1,4-azaborine-based BN-heteroarenes and discusses their unique properties and potential applications of this emerging class of materials, highlighting the value of 1,4-BN-heteroarenes beyond MR-TADF materials. It is hoped that this review would stimulate the conversation and cooperation between chemists who are interested in azaborine chemistry and materials scientists working in the fields of organic optoelectronics, metal catalysis, and carbon-based nanoscience etc.

Redox-Neutral Vicinal Difunctionalization of Five-Membered Heteroarenes with Dual Electrophiles

A new reaction mode of palladium/norbornene (Pd/NBE) cooperative catalysis is reported involving the selective coupling of two different carbon-based electrophiles for vicinal double C-H functionalization of five-membered heteroarenes in a site-selective and redox-neutral manner. The key is to use alkynyl bromides as the second electrophile, which allows vicinal difunctionalization of a wide range of heteroarenes including pyrroles, thiophenes and furans at their C4 and C5 positions. One- or two-step tetrafunctionalizations of simple pyrrole and thiophene have also been realized. The C2-substituted NBEs prove most effective in these reactions, and the mechanistic exploration discloses the origin of the high selectivity of this transformation. Synthetic utility of this method has been exemplified in the concise preparations of thiophene-containing organic materials and a protein kinase inhibitor analogue. Preliminary success has also been achieved in a direct annulation event, using a tethered ketone as the second electrophile.

Copper-Catalyzed Direct Perfluoroalkylation of Heteroarenes

An efficient and broadly applicable process is reported for the copper-catalyzed direct perfluoroalkylation of C-H bonds in heteroarenes with commercially available perfluoroalkyl iodides. This reaction is based on a simple combination of copper(I) iodide and 1,10-phenanthroline enabling the easy reduction of perfluoroalkyl iodides to the corresponding radical species that add to a wide range of heteroarenes including benzofurans, benzothiophenes, (aza)indoles, furans and pyrroles. High levels of regioselectivity were obtained in all cases and the efficiency and robustness of this process was highlighted by the direct perfluoroalkylation of furan-containing peptides.

Expedient Access to Cyanated N-Heterocycles by Direct Flow-Electrochemical C(sp2 )-H Activation

Nitriles are recurring motifs in bioactive molecules and versatile functional groups in synthetic chemistry. Despite recent progress, direct introduction of a nitrile moiety in heteroarenes remains challenging. Recent developments in electrochemical reactions pave the way to more practical cyanation protocols. However, currently available methods typically require hazardous cyanide sources, expensive mediators, and often suffer from narrow substrate scope and laborious reaction set-up. To address the limitations of current synthetic methods, herein, an effective, sustainable, and scalable procedure for the direct C(sp² )-H cyanation of aromatic N-heterocycles with a user-friendly flow-electrochemical set-up is reported. Furthermore, high substrate and functional-group tolerance is demonstrated, allowing late-stage functionalization of drug-like scaffolds, such as natural products and pharmaceuticals.

"Snapshot" Trapping of Multiple Transient Azolyllithiums in Batch

Recent developments in flow microreactor technology have allowed the use of transient organolithium compounds that cannot be realized in a batch reactor. However, trapping the transient aryllithiums in a "halogen dance" is still challenging. Herein is reported the trapping of such short-lived azolyllithiums in a batch reactor by developing a finely tuned in situ zincation using zinc halide diamine complexes. The reaction rate is controlled by the appropriate choice of diamine ligand. The reaction is operationally simple and can be performed at 0 °C with high reproducibility on a multigram scale. This method was applicable to a wide range of brominated azoles allowing deprotonative functionalization, which was used for the concise divergent syntheses of both constitutional isomers of biologically active azoles.

Recent Advances in Transition-Metal-Free Late-Stage C-H and N-H Arylation of Heteroarenes Using Diaryliodonium Salts

Transition-metal-free direct arylation of C-H or N-H bonds is one of the key emerging methodologies that is currently attracting tremendous attention. Diaryliodonium salts serve as a stepping stone on the way to alternative environmentally friendly and straightforward pathways for the construction of C-C and C-heteroatom bonds. In this review, we emphasize the recent synthetic advances of late-stage C(sp2)-N and C(sp2)-C(sp2) bond-forming reactions under metal-free conditions using diaryliodonium salts as arylating reagent and its applications to the synthesis of new arylated bioactive heterocyclic compounds.

Silver-Catalysed Hydroarylation of Highly Substituted Styrenes

Hydroarylation is an effective strategy to rapidly increase the complexity of organic structures by transforming flat alkene moieties into three-dimensional frameworks. Many strategies have already been developed to achieve the hydroarylation of styrenes, however most of these reports examine the hydroarylation of unpolar, β-mono- or β-unsubstituted styrenes, while exploring mainly electron-rich benzene nucleophiles. Herein, we report a mild and general catalytic system for the selective hydroheteroarylation of multiply substituted styrenes and heteroaromatic styrenes. Mechanistic analysis of the reaction led to the discovery of commercially available 2,2':5',2''-terthiophene as a key reagent.

Palladium-Catalyzed Silacyclization of (Hetero)Arenes with a Tetrasilane Reagent through Twofold C-H Activation

The use of an operationally convenient and stable silicon reagent (octamethyl-1,4-dioxacyclohexasilane, ODCS) for the selective silacyclization of (hetero)arenes via twofold C-H activation is reported. This method is compatible with N-containing heteroarenes such as indoles and carbazoles of varying complexity. The ODCS reagent can also be utilized for silacyclization of other types of substrates, including tertiary phosphines and aryl halides. A series of mechanistic experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to investigate the preferred pathway for this twofold C-H activation process.

Iridium-Catalysed C-H Borylation of Heteroarenes: Balancing Steric and Electronic Regiocontrol

The iridium-catalysed borylation of aromatic C-H bonds has become the preferred method for the synthesis of aromatic organoboron compounds. The reaction is highly efficient, tolerant of a broad range of substituents and can be applied to both carbocyclic and heterocyclic substrates. The regioselectivity of C-H activation is dominated by steric considerations and there have been considerable efforts to develop more selective processes for less constrained substrates. However, most of these have focused on benzenoid-type substrates and in contrast, heteroarenes remain much desired but more challenging substrates with the position and/or nature of the heteroatom(s) significantly affecting reactivity and regioselectivity. This review will survey the borylation of heteroarenes, focusing on the influence of steric and electronic effects on regiochemical outcome and, by linking to current mechanistic understandings, will provide insights to what is currently possible and where further developments are required.

Site-Selective Silver-Catalyzed C-H Bond Deuteration of Five-Membered Aromatic Heterocycles and Pharmaceuticals

Catalytic methods for the direct introduction of hydrogen isotopes into organic molecules are essential to the development of improved pharmaceuticals and to the alteration of their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties. However, the development of homogeneous catalysts for selective incorporation of isotopes in the absence of directing groups under practical conditions remains a long-standing challenge. Here, we show that a phosphine-ligated, silver-carbonate complex catalyzes the site-selective deuteration of C-H bonds in five-membered aromatic heterocycles and active pharmaceutical ingredients that have been resistant to catalytic H/D exchange. The reactions occur with CH₃OD as a low-cost source of the isotope. The silver catalysts react with five-membered heteroarenes lacking directing groups, tolerate a wide range of functional groups, and react in both polar and nonpolar solvents. Mechanistic experiments, including deuterium kinetic isotope effects, determination of kinetic orders, and identification of the catalyst resting state, support C-H bond cleavage from a phosphine-ligated, silver-carbonate intermediate as the rate-determining step of the catalytic cycle.

Electronic Effect in a Ruthenium Catalyst Designed in Nanoporous N-Functionalized Carbon for Efficient Hydrogenation of Heteroarenes

Active metal catalysts are the key in chemical industry for sustainable production of multitude of chemical resources. Here, we report a new ruthenium (Ru) composite with a synergistically controlled nanostructure and electronic properties as a highly efficient hydrogenation catalyst which comprises stable small Ru nanoparticles (mean particle size, ca. 0.9 nm) in situ generated into a nanoporous N-functionalized carbon with high surface area (ca. 650 m² g^-1) and has strong electron-donating power of Ru sites of nanoparticles. The scalable and highly reusable catalyst, prepared from a self-assembled Ru complex, performs actively with low per metal usage under mild conditions (60-80 °C and 0.5-1.0 MPa H₂) for selective hydrogenation of various quinolines and pyridines. The role of electron-donating properties of the new Ru nanohybrid for highly efficient catalysis was characterized by both experiments and computational studies. Density functional theory calculations reveal that weak adsorption energies of quinoline at the electron-rich Ru surface prevents poisoning caused by its strong coordination and provides excellent reusability of the catalyst, while low activation barriers for the hydrogenation steps of the N-heterocyclic ring correlate with high catalytic activity. Our catalyst exhibits 5-24-fold higher turnover frequency up to ca. 167 h^-1 among the efficient noble metal catalysts reported for selective hydrogenation of quinoline to 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline.

Recent Advances in Homogeneous Catalysts for the Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Heteroarenes

The asymmetric hydrogenation of heteroarenes has recently emerged as an effective strategy for the direct access to enantioenriched, saturated heterocycles. Although several homogeneous catalyst systems have been extensively developed for the hydrogenation of heteroarenes with high levels of chemo- and stereoselectivity, the development of mild conditions that allow for efficient and stereoselective hydrogenation of a broad range of substrates remains a challenge. This Perspective highlights recent advances in homogeneous catalysis of heteroarene hydrogenation as inspiration for the further development of asymmetric hydrogenation catalysts, and addresses underdeveloped areas and limitations of the current technology.

A Predictive Model Towards Site-Selective Metalations of Functionalized Heterocycles, Arenes, Olefins, and Alkanes using TMPZnCl⋅LiCl

The development of a predictive model towards site-selective deprotometalation reactions using TMPZnCl⋅LiCl is reported (TMP=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl). The pKa values of functionalized N-, S-, and O-heterocycles, arenes, alkenes, or alkanes were calculated and compared to the experimental deprotonation sites. Large overlap (>80 %) between the calculated and empirical deprotonation sites was observed, showing that thermodynamic factors strongly govern the metalation regioselectivity. In the case of olefins, calculated frozen state energies of the deprotonated substrates allowed a more accurate prediction. Additionally, various new N-heterocycles were analyzed and the metalation regioselectivities rationalized using the predictive model.

Preparation of Functionalized Aryl, Heteroaryl, and Benzylic Potassium Organometallics Using Potassium Diisopropylamide in Continuous Flow

We report the preparation of lithium-salt-free KDA (potassium diisopropylamide; 0.6 m in hexane) complexed with TMEDA (N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) and its use for the flow-metalation of (hetero)arenes between -78 °C and 25 °C with reaction times between 0.2 s and 24 s and a combined flow rate of 10 mL min-1 using a commercial flow setup. The resulting potassium organometallics react instantaneously with various electrophiles, such as ketones, aldehydes, alkyl and allylic halides, disulfides, Weinreb amides, and Me3 SiCl, affording functionalized (hetero)arenes in high yields. This flow procedure is successfully extended to the lateral metalation of methyl-substituted arenes and heteroaromatics, resulting in the formation of various benzylic potassium organometallics. A metalation scale-up was possible without further optimization.

Pd(II)-Catalyzed C-H Acylation of (Hetero)arenes-Recent Advances

Di(hetero)aryl ketones are important motifs present in natural products, pharmaceuticals or agrochemicals. In recent years, Pd(II)-catalyzed acylation of (hetero)arenes in the presence of an oxidant has emerged as a catalytic alternative to classical acylation methods, reducing the production of toxic metal waste. Different directing groups and acyl sources are being studied for this purpose, although further development is required to face mainly selectivity problems in order to be applied in the synthesis of more complex molecules. Selected recent developments and applications are covered in this review.

Sterically Controlled C-H Olefination of Heteroarenes

The regioselective functionalization of heteroarenes is a highly attractive synthetic target due to the prevalence of multiply substituted heteroarenes in nature and bioactive compounds. Some substitution patterns remain challenging: While highly efficient methods for the C2-selective olefination of 3-substituted five-membered heteroarenes have been reported, analogous methods to access the 5-olefinated products have remained limited by poor regioselectivities and/or the requirement to use an excess of the valuable heteroarene starting material. Herein we report a sterically controlled C-H olefination using heteroarenes as the limiting reagent. The method enables the highly C5-selective olefination of a wide range of heteroarenes and is shown to be useful in the context of late-stage functionalization.

Anodically Triggered Aldehyde Cation Autocatalysis for Alkylation of Heteroarenes

Alkylation of heteroarenes by using aldehydes is a direct approach to increase molecular complexity, which however often involves the use of stochiometric oxidant, strong acid, and high temperature. This study concerns an energy-efficient electrochemical alkylation of heteroarenes by using aldehydes under mild conditions without mediators. Interestingly, the graphite anode can trigger aldehyde cationic species, which act as the effective autocatalysts to react with a range of heteroarenes to produce the corresponding products with excellent regioselectivity and in high yields. Compared to the traditional electro-synthesis approaches, this electro-triggered reaction provides an electricity-saving and eco-friendly route to high-value chemicals.

Iridium-Catalyzed Silylation of Five-Membered Heteroarenes: High Sterically Derived Selectivity from a Pyridyl-Imidazoline Ligand

The steric effects of substituents on five-membered rings are less pronounced than those on six-membered rings because of the difference in bond angles. Thus, the regioselectivities of reactions of five-membered heteroarenes that occur with selectivities dictated by steric effects, such as the borylation of C-H bonds, have been poor in many cases. We report that the silylation of five-membered-ring heteroarenes occurs with high sterically derived regioselectivity when catalyzed by the combination of [Ir(cod)(OMe)]2 (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene) and a phenanthroline ligand or a new pyridyl-imidazoline ligand that further increases the regioselectivity. The silylation reactions with these catalysts produce high yields of heteroarylsilanes from functionalization at the most sterically accessible C-H bonds of these rings under conditions that the borylation of C-H bonds with previously reported catalysts formed mixtures of products or products that are unstable. The heteroarylsilane products undergo cross-coupling reactions and substitution reactions with ipso selectivity to generate heteroarenes that bear halogen, aryl, and perfluoroalkyl substituents.

Synthesis of Nitrogen-Containing Polyaromatics by Aza-Annulative π-Extension of Unfunctionalized Aromatics

Nitrogen-containing polycyclic aromatic compounds (N-PACs) are an important class of compounds in materials science. Reported here is a new aza-annulative π-extension (aza-APEX) reaction that allows rapid access to a range of N-PACs in 11-84 % yields from readily available unfunctionalized aromatics and imidoyl chlorides. In the presence of silver hexafluorophosphate, arenes and imidoyl chlorides couple in a regioselective fashion. The follow-up oxidative treatment with p-chloranil affords structurally diverse N-PACs, which are very difficult to synthesize. DFT calculations reveal that the aza-APEX reaction proceeds through the formal [4+2] cycloaddition of an arene and an in situ generated diarylnitrilium salt, with sequential aromatizations having relatively low activation energies. Transformation of N-PACs into nitrogen-doped nanographenes and their photophysical properties are also described.

Multi-Component Synthesis of Rare 1,3-Dihydro-1,3-azaborinine Derivatives: Application of a Bora-Nazarov Type Reaction

The twofold hydroboration products of (Fmes)BH₂ ⋅SMe₂ with a series of alkynes (2-butyne, arylethynes) react with two molar equiv of 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide (CN-Xyl) at 80 °C to give rare examples of 1,3-azaborinine derivatives. A mechanistic study revealed a reaction course involving insertion of one isonitrile followed by a bora-Nazarov type ring-closure reaction and subsequent isonitrile insertion to give the respective 1,3-dihydro-1,3-azaborinines 5.

Diversity-Oriented Synthesis of α-Functionalized Acylborons and Borylated Heteroarenes by Nucleophilic Ring Opening of α-Chloroepoxyboronates

The ring-opening reactions of N-methyliminodiacetyl (MIDA) α-chloroepoxyboronates with different nucleophiles allow the modular synthesis of a diverse array of organoboronates. These include seven types of α-functionalized acylboronates and seven types of borylated heteroarenes, some of which are difficult-to-access products using alternative methods. The common synthons, α-chloroepoxyboronates, could be viably synthesized by a two-step procedure from the corresponding alkenyl MIDA boronates. Mild reaction conditions, good functional-group tolerance, and generally good efficiency were observed. The utility of the products was also demonstrated.

Advancements in Visible-Light-Enabled Radical C(sp)2-H Alkylation of (Hetero)arenes

The Minisci reaction, which encompasses the radical C-H alkylation of heteroarenes, has undergone revolutionary development in recent years. The application of photoredox catalysis for alkyl radical generation has given rise to a multitude of methods that feature enhanced functional group tolerance, generality, and operational simplicity. The intent of this short review is to bring readers up to date on this rapidly expanding field. Specifically, we will highlight key examples of visible light-driven Minisci alkylation strategies that represent key advancements in this area of research. The scope and limitation of these transformations will be discussed, with a focus on examining the underlying pathways for alkyl radical generation. Our goal is to make this short review a stepping stone for further synthetic research development.

Pd-Catalyzed Decarbonylative C-H Coupling of Azoles and Aromatic Esters

A decarbonylative C-H coupling of azoles and aromatic esters by palladium catalysis is described. Our previously reported Ni-catalyzed C-H coupling of azoles and aromatic esters has a significant drawback regarding the substrate scope. Herein, we employ palladium catalysis instead of nickel, resulting in a broader substrate scope in terms of azoles and aromatic esters.

DMSO as a Switchable Alkylating Agent in Heteroarene C-H Functionalization

Herein, we report a novel strategy for the activation of DMSO to act as a versatile alkylating agent in heteroarene C-H functionalization. This direct, simple, and mild switch between methylation/trideuteromethylation and methylthiomethylation of heteroarenes was achieved under reagent-controlled photoredox catalysis conditions. The proposed mechanism is supported by both experimental and computational studies.

Synthesis, Crystal Analysis, and Optoelectronic Properties of Diazole-Functionalized Acenes and Azaacenes

Doping heteroatoms into the skeletons of parent acenes can provide more opportunities to construct novel thermally and photostable organic π-conjugated semiconductors. Herein, a family of diazole-decorated acenes (APyS and APySe) and azaacenes (PyP, PyTh, PyPy, PyPh, and PyAP) have been successfully synthesized through the classical reactions. Single-crystal X-ray analyses showed that these as-formed diazole-modified derivatives adopted a twisted topology configuration, whereas the azaacenes display reclining-chair architectures, besides a twisted structure. All these compounds displayed yellow or red light in solution. Moreover, their electrochemical behaviors were also examined. We also found that the azaacenes exhibited a positive spectroscopic response to acid.

Iridium-Catalyzed Sequential Silylation and Borylation of Heteroarenes Based on Regioselective C-H Bond Activation

An iridium-catalyzed regioselective sequential silylation and borylation of heteroarenes was developed, which represents a rare example of unsymmetrical intermolecular C-H bond difunctionalization through the introduction of two different functionalities during a one-pot transformation. Although the substrate scope for the dehydrogenative silylation of heteroarenes has been limited mainly to electron-rich five-membered rings, the current reaction proceeds with both electron-rich and electron-deficient heteroarenes with the aid of heteroatom-directing C-H bond activation. The regioselectivity of the second borylation was controlled by both steric factors and the electronic effect of the silyl group installed in the first step. In combination with the classic cross-coupling reaction, this method provides rapid access to multisubstituted heteroarenes.

Indium-Catalyzed Annulation of o-Acylanilines with Alkoxyheteroarenes: Synthesis of Heteroaryl[b]quinolines and Subsequent Transformation to Cryptolepine Derivatives

We disclose herein the first synthetic method that is capable of offering heteroaryl[b]quinolines (HA[b]Qs) with structural diversity, which include tricyclic and tetracyclic structures with (benzo)thienyl, (benzo)furanyl, and indolyl rings. The target HA[b]Q is addressed by the annulation of o-acylanilines and MeO–heteroarenes with the aid of an indium Lewis acid that effectively works to make two different types of the N–C and C–C bonds in one batch. A series of indolo[3,2-b]quinolines prepared here can be subsequently transformed to structurally unprecedented cryptolepine derivatives. Mechanistic studies showed that the N–C bond formation is followed by the C–C bond formation. The indium-catalyzed annulation reaction thus starts with the nucleophilic attack of the NH₂ group of o-acylanilines to the MeO-connected carbon atom of the heteroaryl ring in an S_NAr fashion, and thereby the N–C bond is formed. The resulting intermediate then cyclizes to make the C–C bond through the nucleophilic attack of the heteroaryl-ring-based carbon atom to the carbonyl carbon atom, providing the HA[b]Q after aromatizing dehydration.

Reactivity of bromoselenophenes in palladium-catalyzed direct arylations

The reactivity of 2-bromo- and 2,5-dibromoselenophenes in Pd-catalyzed direct heteroarylation was investigated. From 2-bromoselenophene, only the most reactive heteroarenes could be employed to prepare 2-heteroarylated selenophenes; whereas, 2,5-dibromoselenophene generally gave 2,5-di(heteroarylated) selenophenes in high yields using both thiazole and thiophene derivatives. Moreover, sequential catalytic C2 heteroarylation, bromination, catalytic C5 arylation reactions allowed the synthesis of unsymmetrical 2,5-di(hetero)arylated selenophene derivatives in three steps from selenophene.

Direct catalytic arylation of heteroarenes with meso-bromophenyl-substituted porphyrins

The arylation of mono-, di- and tetra-meso-bromophenyl-substituted porphyrins with the heteroarenes containing "acidic" C-H bonds, such as benzoxazole, benzothiazole and N-methylimidazole was studied in the presence of three alternative catalytic systems: Pd(dba)₂/DavePhos/Cs₂CO₃, Pd(PPh₃)₄/PivOH/K₂CO₃ and Pd(OAc)₂/Cu(OAc)₂/PPh₃/K₂CO₃. The first catalytic system was found to be successful in the reaction with benzoxazole, the second one was less efficient for our purpose, while the third system proved to be most versatile and afforded corresponding mono-, di-, tri- and even tetraarylated derivatives of porphyrins.

Direct Assembly of Prenylated Heteroarenes through a Cascade Minisci Reaction/Dehydration Sequence

The prenyl group is an important component in bioactive compounds. Herein, we report the assembly of prenylated heteroarenes through a cascade Minisci reaction and acid-promoted dehydration sequence. The use of potassium (3-hydroxy-3-methylbut-1-yl)trifluoroborate as a new coupling reagent allows the direct introduction of prenyl and 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl groups to a wide variety of electron-deficient heteroarenes. Synthetic application is also demonstrated.

Room-Temperature Gold-Catalysed Arylation of Heteroarenes: Complementarity to Palladium Catalysis

Tailoring of the pre-catalyst, the oxidant and the arylsilane enables the first room-temperature, gold-catalysed, innate C-H arylation of heteroarenes. Regioselectivity is consistently high and, in some cases, distinct from that reported with palladium catalysis. Tolerance to halides and boronic esters, in both the heteroarene and silane partners, provides orthogonality to Suzuki-Miyaura coupling.

Palladium-catalyzed 2,5-diheteroarylation of 2,5-dibromothiophene derivatives

Conditions allowing the one pot 2,5-diheteroarylation of 2,5-dibromothiophene derivatives in the presence of palladium catalysts are reported. Using KOAc as the base, DMA as the solvent and only 0.5–2 mol % palladium catalysts, the target 2,5-diheteroarylated thiophenes were obtained in moderate to good yields and with a wide variety of heteroarenes such as thiazoles, thiophenes, furans, pyrroles, pyrazoles or isoxazoles. Moreover, sequential heteroarylation reactions allow the access to 2,5-diheteroarylated thiophenes bearing two different heteroaryl units.

Copper-catalyzed CuAAC/intramolecular C-H arylation sequence: Synthesis of annulated 1,2,3-triazoles

Step-economical syntheses of annulated 1,2,3-triazoles were accomplished through copper-catalyzed intramolecular direct arylations in sustainable one-pot reactions. Thus, catalyzed cascade reactions involving [3 + 2]-azide–alkyne cycloadditions (CuAAC) and C–H bond functionalizations provided direct access to fully substituted 1,2,3-triazoles with excellent chemo- and regioselectivities. Likewise, the optimized catalytic system proved applicable to the direct preparation of 1,2-diarylated azoles through a one-pot C–H/N–H arylation reaction.