A well-defined cationic Ru-H complex catalyzes the dehydrative C-H alkylation reaction of phenols with alcohols to form ortho-substituted phenol products. Benzofuran derivatives are efficiently synthesized from the dehydrative C-H alkenylation and annulation reaction of phenols with 1,2-diols. The catalytic C-H coupling method employs cheaply available phenols and alcohols, exhibits a broad substrate scope, tolerates carbonyl and amine functional groups, and liberates water as the only byproduct.

Alkenes and alcohols are among the most abundant and commonly used organic feedstock in industrial processes. We report a selective catalytic alkylation reaction of alkenes with alcohols that forms a carbon-carbon bond between vinyl carbon-hydrogen (C-H) and carbon-hydroxy centers with the concomitant loss of water. The cationic ruthenium complex [(C(6)H(6))(PCy(3))(CO)RuH](+)BF(4)(-) (Cy, cyclohexyl) catalyzes the alkylation in solution within 2 to 8 hours at temperatures ranging from 75° to 110°C and tolerates a broad range of substrate functionality, including amines and carbonyls. Preliminary mechanistic studies are inconsistent with Friedel-Crafts-type electrophilic activation of the alcohols, suggesting instead a vinyl C-H activation pathway with opposite electronic polarization.

Various metal-salen catalysts were prepared for use in the direct synthesis of diphenyl carbonate (DPC) from phenol and carbon dioxide. We found that metal-salen complexes containing titanium as central metal species retained suitable Lewis acid property for the reaction. It was revealed that the catalytic activity of Ti-salen complexes could be controlled by introducing appropriate substituents into salen ligand. Insertion of phosphonium salts into para-position of aromatic aldehyde of salen ligand enhanced solubility of the catalyst in the methanol-phenol solution, and tert-butyl substituent in the salen ligand induced selective formation of DPC due to steric effect. In addition, introduction of various bridging groups into salen ligand caused change in electronic property of central metal atom. Among the catalysts tested, Ti-(t-butyl)salphen(PPh3)Cl showed the best catalytic performance at 100 °C and 60 bar. The catalytic system utilizing Ti-(t-butyl)salphen(PPh3)Cl catalyst was then optimized by conducting the reaction at various reaction temperatures and pressures.

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