A striking breakthrough to the frame of traditional cross-couplings/C-H functionalizations using an organocatalyst remains unprecedented. We uncovered a conceptually different approach toward the biaryl syntheses by using DMEDA as the catalyst to promote the direct C-H arylation of unactivated benzene in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide. The arylation of unactivated benzene with aryl iodides, or aryl bromides and even chlorides under the assistance of an iodo-group, could simply take place at 80 °C. The new methodology presumably involves an aryl radical anion as an intermediate. This finding offers an option toward establishing a new horizon for direct C-H/cross-coupling reactions.

[reaction: see text] A mild method for the copper-catalyzed amination of aryl iodides is reported. This operationally simple C-N bond-forming protocol uses CuI as the catalyst and ethylene glycol as ligand in 2-propanol. A variety of functionalized aryl iodides as well as several amines were efficiently coupled using this method. This catalytic amination procedure is relatively insensitive to moisture and can be performed under an air atmosphere with comparable yield. Preliminary results on the amination of aryl bromides are also described.

[reaction: see text] An efficient copper-catalyzed amination of aryl bromides with primary alkylamines was developed that uses commercially available diethylsalicylamide as the ligand. This amination reaction can be performed at 90 degrees C in good yield. A variety of functional groups are compatible with these reaction conditions. Preliminary results show that this reaction can be carried out under solvent-free conditions with comparable yields.

An efficient copper-catalyzed carbon-sulfur bond formation reaction was developed. This method is particularly noteworthy given its experimental simplicity, high generality, and exceptional level of functional group toleration and the low cost of the catalyst system. [reaction: see text]

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions are state-of-the art methods for synthesis of many important compounds. The development of the use of the phenol-derived sulfonated hydroxyl group in the coupling reactions is highly attractive as the hydroxyl group is commonly present in organic compounds and they are versatile alternatives to aryl halides in cross-coupling reactions. In this tutorial review, we summarize the current development of palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of aryl mesylates.

Aminated adventures: The new phosphine ligand L in combination with a Pd(OAc)2 precursor provides the first palladium‐catalyzed amination of unactivated aryl mesylates. This catalyst system can be applied in an aqueous reaction medium without detrimental effect.

A decade advancement of transition metal-catalyzed borylation of aryl halides and sulfonates3

A series of chiral diphosphine ligands denoted as PQ-Phos was prepared by atropdiastereoselective Ullmann coupling and ring-closure reactions. The Ullmann coupling reaction of the biaryl diphosphine dioxides is featured by highly efficient central-to-axial chirality transfer with diastereomeric excess >99%. This substrate-directed diastereomeric biaryl coupling reaction is unprecedented for the preparation of chiral diphosphine dioxides, and our method precludes the tedious resolution procedures usually required for preparing enantiomerically pure diphosphine ligands. The effect of chiral recognition was also revealed in a relevant asymmetric ring-closure reaction. The chiral tether bridging the two aryl units creates a conformationally rigid scaffold essential for enantiofacial differentiation; fine-tuning of the ligand scaffold (e.g., dihedral angles) can be achieved by varying the chain length of the chiral tether. The enantiomerically pure Ru- and Ir-PQ-Phos complexes have been prepared and applied to the catalytic enantioselective hydrogenations of alpha- and beta-ketoesters (C=O bond reduction), 2-(6'-methoxy-2'-naphthyl)propenoic acid, alkyl-substituted beta-dehydroamino acids (C=C bond reduction), and N-heteroaromatic compounds (C=N bond reduction). An excellent level of enantioselection (up to 99.9% ee) has been attained for the catalytic reactions. In addition, the significant ligand dihedral angle effects on the Ir-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-heteroaromatic compounds were also revealed.