Several novel synthetic reactions of arenes and alkanes discovered and investigated in our laboratory are summarized here. These include olefin arylation, hydroarylation of alkynes, hydroxylation of arenes, carboxylation of arenes and alkanes, and aminomethylation and acetoxylation of alkanes. Most of these reactions are catalyzed by highly electrophilic transition metal cationic species generated in situ in an acid medium, involving electrophilic metalation of C-H bonds of arenes and alkanes which lead to the formation of aryl-metal and alkyl-metal sigma-complexes.
Efficient electrophilic metalation of aromatic C-H bonds leading to new C-C bond formation through regio- and stereoselective addition to alkynes and alkenes has been realized by a catalytic amount (0.02 to 5 mole percent) of palladium(II) or platinum(II) compounds in a mixed solvent containing trifluoroacetic acid at room temperature. Various arenes undergo unexpected selective trans hydroarylation to terminal or internal C&cjs0812;C bonds inter- and intramolecularly with high efficiency (up to a turnover number of 4500 for palladium), especially for electron-rich arenes, giving thermodynamically unfavorable cis-alkenes, and the oxygen- and nitrogen-containing heterocycles. The simplicity, generality, and efficiency of this process should be very attractive to the possible industrial application for the functionalization of arenes.
Efficient trans-hydroarylation of alkynes by simple arenes has been realized regio-and stereoselectively at room temperature in the presence of Pd(II) or Pt(II) catalysts and a mixed solvent containing trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Various arenes undergo trans-hydroarylation selectively across terminal and internal C-C triple bondssincluding those conjugated to CHO, COMe, CO 2 H, and CO 2 Et groups, affording kinetically controlled cis-arylalkenes predominantly in most cases, especially, in good yields for electron-rich arenes and activated alkynes. The formation of arene/alkyne 1/2 or 2/1 adducts as side products is dependent on the arenes' and alkynes' substituents, which can be suppressed in some cases by changing the catalyst, catalyst concentration, and reaction time. The Pt(II) system, PtCl 2 /2AgOAc/TFA, shows lower catalytic activity than Pd(OAc) 2 /TFA, but higher selectivity, giving higher yields of adducts at the same conversion. On the basis of several isotope experiments and control reactions, a possible mechanism involving electrophilic metalation of aromatic C-H bonds by in-situ-generated cationic Pd(II) and Pt(II) species leading to intermolecular transarylpalladation to alkynes has been discussed.
The oxidative coupling of arenes with olefins has been performed efficiently in the presence of catalytic amounts of palladium acetate and benzoquinone (BQ) with tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the oxidant in up to 280 turnover numbers (TON). The catalytic system is especially active for the coupling of heterocycles such as furans and indole with activated olefins. The reaction is highly regio-and stereoselective, giving trans-olefins predominantly.3-phenylcinnamate (3a) as the only isolated product. 5 The results are shown in Table 1.
A new and general method has been developed for preparation of coumarins and quinolinones by intramolecular hydroarylation of alkynes. Various aryl alkynoates and alkynanilides undergo fast intramolecular reaction at room temperature in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(OAc)(2) in a mixed solvent containing trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), affording coumarins and quinolinones in moderate to excellent yields with more than 1000 turnover numbers (TON) to Pd. The methodology proved to tolerate a number of functional groups such as Br and CHO. On the basis of isotope experiments, a possible mechanism involving ethynyl chelation-assisted electrophilic metalation of aromatic C-H bonds by in-situ generated cationic Pd(II) species has been discussed. Also the involvement of vinylcationic species has been suggested.
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