Joined at the Cs: A novel intermolecular decarboxylative C sp 3C sp 3, C sp 3C sp 2, and C sp 3Csp coupling catalyzed by CuBr and using α‐amino acids as starting materials has been developed (see scheme). Various functionalized nitrogen‐containing compounds were obtained by this method.

A palladium-catalyzed aryl C-H bonds activation/acetoxylation reaction utilizing a bidentate system has been explored. This transformation has been applied to a wide array of pyridine and 8-aminoquinoline derivatives and it exhibits excellent functional group tolerance.

An interesting aldehyde- and ketone-induced intermolecular tandem decarboxylation-coupling (Csp(3)-Csp) catalyzed by copper with use of natural alpha-amino acids as starting materials is developed under neutral conditions with the production of CO(2) and H(2)O as the only byproducts. Various functionalized nitrogen-containing compounds were obtained by this method. In these processes, interesting regioselectivites of the alkylation were observed, which has been rationalized by the relative stability of proposed resonance structures based on computation methods.

A novel iron-catalyzed intermolecular decarboxylative Csp(3)-Csp(2) coupling reaction using proline derivatives as starting materials is developed. In this process, a series of potentially useful ligands (tertiary aminonaphthol) for catalysis was obtained.

Highly substituted indenes have been prepared in good yields by the palladium-catalyzed carboannulation of diethyl 2-(2-(1-alkynyl)phenyl)malonate with aryl, benzylic, and alkenyl halides. The reaction conditions and the scope of the process were examined, and a possible mechanism is proposed.

Palladium-catalyzed reaction of propargylic carbonates with carbon nucleophiles offers an efficient, direct route to highly substituted indenes. The reaction conditions and the scope of the process are examined, and a possible mechanism is proposed. [reaction: see text]

Indene derivatives including an allene functional group are readily prepared in moderate to excellent yields with high regioselectivity under very mild reaction conditions by the Pd/C-catalyzed reaction of propargylic compounds. The resulting products can be further elaborated using Pd-catalyzed annulation reactions.

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