A highly efficient and atom‐economical route for the synthesis of substituted β‐arylethyl ketones was developed by using cheap phosphomolybdic acid (H3PMo12O40) as catalyst and non‐volatile propylene carbonate (PC) as green solvent via the carbohydroxylation of terminal alkynes with benzylic alcohols under mild conditions. Various functional groups on the benzylic alcohols and terminal alkynes were tolerated, giving the corresponding substituted β‐arylethyl ketones as products in good to excellent yields (up to 95%). It is worth noting that a turnover number (TON) of up to 520 was achieved in the protocol. The mechanism investigation showed that PC might stabilize the heteropoly anion and the carbocation intermediate thus facilitating the carbohydroxylation reaction.magnified image

A general and effective method for the synthesis of alkylamine via intramolecular decarboxylation of alkanoyloxycarbamates is described. The alkanoyloxycarbamates are readily prepared with alkyl carboxylic acids and hydroxylamine. The reaction shows a broad range of substrates (primary and secondary alkyl) with functional tolerance, and the corresponding products were obtained in good yields under mild conditions.

A novel approach has been developed for the synthesis of arylamines via the palladium-catalyzed intramolecular decarboxylative coupling (IDC) of aroyloxycarbamates, obtained in situ by reacting aryl carboxylic acids with hydroxycarbamates. The reaction offers facile access to structurally diverse arylamines with the site-specific formation of the C(sp)-N bond under mild conditions.

A new sequential approach for 2-vinylanilines utilizing aryl carboxylic acids as stable, inexpensive and widely available arylating reagents is described. Employing a Pd-POVs catalyst system, this protocol is not only overcoming the restriction barrier of decarboxylative coupling to ortho-substituted substrates, but also provides site-special to create new C(sp)-N and C(sp)-C(sp) bonds. Mechanistic experiments suggest the cleavage of C(sp)-COOH gives priority to C(sp)-X bond in this reaction.

An efficient Pd-catalyzed decarboxylation/cyclization of aroyloxycarbamates to realize substituted indoles has been disclosed. Terminal alkynes as the coupling partners lead to site specific 2-substituted indoles through two pathways, while internal alkynes with aroyloxycarbamates can be transformed to 2,3-disubstituted indoles directly. This protocol is further demonstrated by the efficient synthesis of indoles as well as the success of employing inexpensive aryl acids as starting materials to construct C-N bonds by releasing CO2.