Copper can do it! Highly efficient ambient‐temperature copper‐catalyzed ATRA of polyhalogenated compounds to alkenes in the presence of free‐radical initiator 2,2′‐azobis(4‐methoxy‐2,4‐dimethyl valeronitrile) (V‐70) is reported. V‐70 has been shown to be a very effective reducing agent, enabling selective formation of the ATRA product with α‐olefins and highly active monomers, such as methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and vinyl acetate, by using as little as 0.002 mol % of copper (see figure).

The development of more general and efficient catalytic processes for Friedel-Crafts alkylations is an important objective of interest toward the production of pharmaceuticals and commodity chemicals. Herein, 2,3,4,5-tetrafluorophenylboronic acid was identified as a potent air- and moisture-tolerant metal-free catalyst that significantly improves the scope of direct Friedel-Crafts alkylations of a variety of slightly activated and neutral arenes, including polyarenes, with allylic and benzylic alcohols. This method also provides a simple alternative for the direct installation of prenyl units commonly found in naturally occurring arenes. Alkylations with benzylic alcohols occur under exceptionally mild conditions.

No abstract

Exceptional activity of [Cu(II)(TPMA)Cl][Cl] (TPMA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) complex in atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) of CCl(4) to 1,6-dienes followed by sequential atom transfer radical cyclization (ATRC) in the presence of free-radical diazo initiators as reducing agents is reported.

No abstract