SummaryCatalytic direct (hetero)arylation of (hetero)arenes is an attractive alternative to traditional Kumada, Stille, Negishi and Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions, notably as it avoids the prior preparation and isolation of (hetero)arylmetals. Developments of this methodology in the oxazole series are reviewed in this article. Methodologies, selectivity, mechanism and future aspects are presented.

Both base-assisted non-concerted metallation-deprotonation (nCMD) and concerted metallation-deprotonation (CMD) have been identified as two potent operating mechanisms in palladium-catalysed direct C-H coupling of oxazole and thiazole-4-carboxylate esters with halides through base- and solvent-effect experiments. Novel C2- and C5-selective CMD direct arylation procedures in oxazole- and thiazole-4-carboxylate series were then designed by controlling the balance between electronic and steric factors. Notably, charge interactions between the palladium catalyst and substrate were identified as a parameter for controlling selectivity and reducing the impact of steric factors in the CMD reaction.

A new tropos ligand with an integrated anion receptor site has been prepared. Chiral carboxylate and phosphate anions that bind in the anion receptor unit proved capable of stabilizing chiral conformations of the achiral flexible bidentate biaryl phosphite ligand, as shown by variable temperature 1 H and 31 P NMR spectroscopical studies of palladium(0) olefin complexes. Palladium allyl complexes of the supramolecular ligand-chiral cofactor assemblies catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitutions of rac-(E)-1,3-diphenyl-2propenyl carbonate and rac-3-cyclohexenyl carbonate with malonate and benzylamine as nucleophiles to provide nonracemic products. Although moderate enantioselectivities were observed, (ee:s up to 66%), the results confirm the ability of the anionic guests to affect the conformation of the ligand.