Current approaches to facilitate C-H arylation of arenes involve the use of either strongly electron-withdrawing substituents or directing groups. Both approaches require structural modification of the arene, limiting their generality. We present a new approach where C-H arylation is made possible without altering the connectivity of the arene via π-complexation of a Cr(CO)3 unit, greatly enhancing the reactivity of the aromatic C-H bonds. We apply this approach to monofluorobenzenes, highly unreactive arenes, which upon complexation become nearly as reactive as pentafluorobenzene itself in their couplings with iodoarenes. DFT calculations indicate that C-H activation via a concerted metalation-deprotonation transition state is facilitated by the predisposition of C-H bonds in (Ar-H)Cr(CO)3 to bend out of the aromatic plane.

A catalytic asymmetric direct C–H arylation of (η6-arene)­chromium complexes to obtain planar-chiral compounds is reported. The use of the hemilabile ligand H8-BINAP­(O) is key to providing high enantioselectivity in this transformation. We show that this methodology opens the door to the synthesis of a variety of planar-chiral chromium derivatives which can be easily transformed into planar chiral mono- or diphosphines. Mechanistic studies, including synthesis and characterization of Pd and Ag complexes and their detection in the reaction mixture, suggest a Pd-catalyzed/Ag-promoted catalytic system where Ag carries out the C–H activation step.

A substrate-controlled synthesis of (+)-herboxidiene from two lactate-derived chiral ketones is described. Remarkably, most of the carbon backbone was constructed through highly stereoselective titanium-mediated aldol reactions and an Ireland-Claisen rearrangement. Furthermore, an oxa-Michael cyclization and a high-yield Suzuki coupling were used to assemble the pyran ring and the diene moiety respectively.

Current approaches to achieve site selectivity in the C–H activation of arenes involve the use of directing groups or highly electron-poor arenes. In contrast, simple arenes, such as anisole, are characterized by poor reactivity and selectivity. We report that π-complexation to a Cr(CO)3 unit enhances the reactivity of anisoles providing an unprecedented ortho-selective arylation. This mild methodology can be used for the late stage functionalization of bioactive compounds containing the anisole motif, allowing the construction of novel organic scaffolds with few synthetic steps.

A total synthesis of (+)-herboxidiene/GEX 1A has been accomplished from (R)- and (S)-lactate esters in a highly efficient manner. Key steps of the synthesis involve substrate-controlled titanium-mediated aldol reactions from chiral lactate-derived ethyl ketones, an oxa-Michael cyclization, an Ireland-Claisen rearrangement, and a Suzuki coupling. Furthermore, computational studies of the oxa-Michael reaction have unveiled the dramatic influence of intramolecular hydrogen bonds on the stereochemical outcome of such cyclizations, whereas biological analyses have clearly proved the important cytoxicity of (+)-herboxidiene/GEX 1A.