H‐Phosphonate‐Mediated Amination of Quinoline N‐Oxides with Tertiary Amines: A Mild and Metal‐Free Synthesis of 2‐Dialkylaminoquinolines

A synthetic strategy has been developed for the synthesis of 2‐dialkylaminoquinolines from easily available quinoline N‐oxides, tertiary amines, diisopropyl H‐phosphonate and carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in one pot under metal‐free conditions at room temperature.

     

Synthesis of Dibenzophosphole Oxides via Palladium‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Direct Arylation Reactions of ortho‐Halodiarylphosphine Oxides

A palladium‐catalyzed intramolecular direct arylation reaction was developed and two efficient one‐pot sequential direct arylation/Suzuki–Miyaura coupling and intra/intermolecular direct arylation reations were also realized. The method provides a simple and straightforward procedure for the synthesis and further functionalization of dibenzophosphole oxides from easily accessible ortho‐halodiarylphosphine oxides in good to excellent yields.

     

Palladium‐Catalyzed and Hybrid Acids‐Assisted Synthesis of [60]Fulleroazepines in One Pot under Mild Conditions: Annulation of N‐Sulfonyl‐2‐aminobiaryls with [60]Fullerene through Sequential C‐H Bond Activation,C‐C and C‐N Bond Formation

An extraordinarily efficient hybrid acids‐assisted, palladium‐catalyzed and chelating‐group‐assisted C H bond activation of N‐sulfonyl‐2‐aminobiaryls and their annulations with [60]fullerene via sequential C C and C N bond formation at room temperature to afford [60]fulleroazepines is demonstrated. The formation of [60]fulleroazepines is highly regioselective and tolerant to both electron‐withdrawing and electron‐donating groups on the aryl moiety and the reaction gives monofunctionalized fullerenes in good yields (up to 54% isolated yield and 92% based on converted C₆₀).     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Intermolecular C‐2 Alkenylation of Indoles Using Oxygen as the Oxidant

A general and efficient palladium‐catalyzed intermolecular direct C‐2 alkenylation of indoles using oxygen as the oxidant has been developed. The reaction is of complete regio‐ and stereoselectivity. All products are E‐isomers at the C‐2‐position with no Z‐isomers and 3‐substituted products were detected.

     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Direct Arylations of 1,2,3‐Triazoles with Aryl Chlorides using Conventional Heating

Generally applicable, palladium‐catalyzed direct arylations of 1,2,3‐triazoles with aryl chlorides were accomplished through conventional heating at reaction temperatures of 105–120 °C. Thereby, intra‐ and intermolecular C H bond functionalizations were achieved with a variety of differently substituted chlorides as electrophiles, bearing numerous valuable functional groups.     

Mechanistic Studies on the Palladium‐Catalyzed Direct C‐5 Arylation of Imidazoles: The Fundamental Role of the Azole as a Ligand for Palladium

An in‐depth mechanistic study on the palladium‐catalyzed direct arylation of imidazoles at the C‐5 position is presented. The interactions of triphenylphosphine (PPh₃)‐ligated aryl‐Pd species with 1,2‐dimethyl‐1H‐imidazole (dmim) have been studied in detail. In contrast with previous suggestions, phosphine‐ligated organo‐Pd species are not active and the reaction proceeds through imidazole‐ligated organo‐Pd intermediates. The kinetics of the oxidative addition of aryl halides with dmim‐ligated Pd(0) species have been characterized in a Pd(dba)₂/dmim model system. A thorough study of the equilibria involving novel [ArPd(dmim)₂X] complexes (X=I, OAc) and the unexpected cationic [ArPd(dmim)₃]⁺ is also reported. The ability of these species to effect the C H arylation of dmim at room temperature in the presence of acetate is also demonstrated.

     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Direct Denitrogenative C‐3‐Arylation of 1H‐Indoles with Arylhydrazines using Air as the Oxidant

A novel palladium‐catalyzed approach to direct C‐3‐arylation of 1H‐indoles with arylhydrazines using air as the oxidant via C N bond cleavage has been developed. Various substituents are tolerated in this system in moderate to good yields. This reaction could also be compatible with a larger scale. Thus, this strategy using arylhydrazines as arylating reagents provides a powerful method for constructing substituted 3‐aryl‐1H‐indoles.     

Acylation of Pyrroles and their Free (N‐H)‐Derivatives via Palladium‐Catalyzed Carbopalladation of Nitriles

An efficient regioselective synthesis of 2‐acylpyrroles via palladium‐catalyzed addition of pyrroles with benzonitriles and subsequent hydrolysis is developed. The direct acylation reaction of protected as well as (NH)‐free pyrroles proceeded smoothly to afford 2‐acylpyrrole scaffolds of high biological interest.

     

Thioethers as Directing Group for the Palladium‐Catalyzed Direct Arylation of Arenes

Thioethers have proven to be efficient directing groups for the arylation of arenes under palladium catalysis. The thioether group can be readily removed or converted to other functional groups. Kinetic isotopic effect studies reveal that the C H cleavage of arenes might be the turnover‐limiting step.     

Intermolecular versus Intramolecular Palladium‐Catalyzed Direct Arylations between 1‐(2‐Bromobenzyl)imidazoles and Aryl Bromides

Herein, we report on the sequential palladium‐catalyzed intermolecular followed by intramolecular direct arylations of 1‐(2‐bromobenzyl)imidazoles. We found that, in the presence of 1 mol% palladium acetate and potassium acetate as base, the intermolecular reaction between 1‐(2‐bromobenzyl)imidazole derivatives and electron‐deficient aryl bromides proceeded faster than the intramolecular reaction, allowing us to prepare medium‐size polycyclic imidazoles after a second Pd‐catalyzed intramolecular arylation. These iterative direct arylations allowed the synthesis of fused nitrogen‐containing heterocycles with a 5‐ or 7‐membered‐ring in only two steps. Some reactions have also been performed as a one‐pot procedure using 2 mol% of palladium acetate in the presence of a larger amount of base (3 equiv.).

     

Palladium‐Catalysed Regioselective Sequential C‐5 and C‐2 Direct Arylations of 3‐Acetylpyrroles with Aryl Bromides

The PdCl(C₃H₅)(dppb)/KOAc system was found to be effective for the direct regioselective C‐5 arylation of 3‐acetylpyrroles with ortho‐substituted aryl bromides. This procedure has been found to be tolerant to a variety of functional groups at C‐2 of the aryl bromide such as methyl, formyl, nitrile, nitro, hydroxymethyl, chloro, fluoro or trifluoromethyl. The sequential direct C‐5 arylation followed by C‐2 arylation of such 3‐substituted pyrroles allows the synthesis of 2,5‐diaryl‐3‐acetylpyrroles in high yields.     

Copper‐Catalyzed N‐Alkylation of Sulfonamides with Benzylic Alcohols: Catalysis and Mechanistic Studies

The N‐alkylation of sulfonamides with alcohols is efficiently performed in the presence of easily available copper catalysts via hydrogen borrowing methodology. Applying a copper acetate/potassium carbonate system the reaction of sulfonamides and alcohols gave the corresponding secondary amines in excellent yield. In situ HR‐MS analysis indicated that bissulfonylated amines are formed under air atmosphere, which act as self‐stabilizing ligands for the catalytic system. UV‐visible measurements suggest the interaction between the copper centre and the bissulfonylated amine. Reactions of benzyl alcohol‐d₇ with p‐toluenesulfonamide, N‐benzyl‐p‐toluenesulfonamide or N‐benzylidenetoluenesulfonamide revealed that the reaction proceeds via a transfer hydrogenation mechanism and the whole process is micro‐reversible. Competitive reactions of benzyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol‐d₇ with p‐toluenesulfonamide revealed a kinetic isotope effect (kH/kD) of 3.287 (0.192) for the dehydrogenation of benzyl alcohol and 0.611 (0.033) for the hydrogenation of the N‐benzylidene‐p‐toluenesulfonamide intermediate, which suggests that dehydrogenation of the alcohol is the rate‐determining step.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Allylamine Derivatives by Iodine‐ Catalyzed Three‐Component Reaction of N‐Heterocycles,Paraformaldehyde and Styrenes

The molecular iodine‐catalyzed three‐component reaction of amides or amide derivatives, paraformaldehyde and styrenes allows for the clean generation of allylamine derivatives in good yields and high regioselectivities. The reaction, forming water as the sole co‐product, is an experimentally easy to conduct transformation in the absence of transition metals under mild conditions.     

An Electron‐Deficient Diene as Ligand for Palladium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions: An Efficient Alkylation of Aryl Iodides by Primary and Secondary Alkylzinc Reagents

An electron‐deficient diene, L₁ , was found to be an effective ligand in facilitating palladium‐catalyzed Negishi couplings involving primary and secondary alkylzinc reagents. The reactions took place readily at 60 °C in THF with 5 mol% of a catalyst generated in situ from bis(acetonitrile)palladium dichloride [PdCl₂(MeCN)₂] and L₁ , and functional groups such as chloro, bromo, etc. attached to phenyl ring as well as β‐H atoms adjacent to the reaction site were well tolerated. The problematic isomerizations in secondary alkyzinc reagents involved in the reactions reported in the literature were also observed in our system when isopropylzinc chloride was employed alone as the nucleophile. However, the isomerization was significantly suppressed when i‐Pr₂Zn was utilized in the presence of L₁ .     

Oxaphosphole‐Based Monophosphorus Ligands for Palladium‐Catalyzed Amination Reactions

A novel class of C‐2‐substituted oxaphosphole‐based monophosphines 1–4 has been synthesized. Palladium complexes derived from these ligands and their C‐2‐unsubstituted analogs provide general catalysts for amination reactions of challenging aryl and heteroaryl halides with sterically hindered anilines and alkylamines.     

One‐Pot Palladium‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Selectively Substituted Phenanthridines by Sequential Aryl‐Aryl and Heck Couplings,Aza‐Michael and Retro‐Mannich Reactions

A catalytic synthesis of selectively substituted phenanthridines is achieved through a reaction sequence involving palladium/norbornene‐catalyzed unsymmetrical aryl‐aryl and Heck couplings followed by aza‐Michael and retro‐Mannich reactions. In spite of the many steps involved the method is very simple and allows the formation of selectively substituted phenanthridines under mild conditions in a straightforward one‐pot reaction starting from readily available aryl iodides and bromides.     

Recent Applications of Palladium‐Catalyzed Coupling Reactions in the Pharmaceutical,Agrochemical, and Fine Chemical Industries

Palladium‐catalyzed coupling reactions have become a central tool for the synthesis of biologically active compounds both in academia and industry. Most of these transformations make use of easily available substrates and allow for a shorter and more selective preparation of substituted arenes and heteroarenes compared to non‐catalytic pathways. Notably, molecular‐defined palladium catalysts offer high chemoselectivity and broad functional group tolerance. Considering these advantages, it is not surprising that several palladium‐catalyzed coupling reactions have been implemented in the last decade into the industrial manufacture of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. In this review different examples from 2001–2008 are highlighted, which have been performed at least on a kilogram scale in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.     

Palladium‐Catalysed Direct Desulfitative Arylation of Pyrroles using Benzenesulfonyl Chlorides as Alternative Coupling Partners

The reactivity of pyrrole derivatives for palladium‐catalysed desulfitative arylation has been investigated. 1‐Methyl‐, 1‐phenyl‐ and 1‐benzylpyrroles were successfully coupled with a variety of benzenesulfonyl chlorides using a phosphine‐free catalyst. Highly regioselective arylations at carbon C2 of pyrroles were observed in all cases. A wide variety of substituents on the benzenesulfonyl derivative was tolerated. It should be noted that even bromo‐ and iodo‐benzenesulfonyl chlorides were successfully coupled with pyrrole derivatives without cleavage of the C Br or C I bonds, allowing further transformations. Surprisingly, with indoles, mixtures of C2‐ and C3‐arylation products were obtained.

     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Acylation of 2‐Aryl‐1,2,3‐triazoles with Aldehydes

The palladium‐catalyzed acylation of 2‐aryl‐1,2,3‐triazoles with aldehydes via C H bond activation is described. A wide variety of products was isolated in good to excellent yields. This finding provides a new and useful strategy for the synthesis of aromatic ketones.

     

Copper‐Catalyzed Coupling of Indoles with Dimethylformamide as a Methylenating Reagent

By using N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) as a methylenating reagent, the copper‐catalyzed C H activation of indole was demonstrated as an efficient and facile protocol for synthesizing 3,3′‐diindolylmethane (DIM) and its derivatives. The results indicate that copper chloride was the best catalyst among the investigated transition metal salts, which affords an excellent regioselectivity and good yield when tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) was used as an oxidant.