We report Pd‐ and Ni‐catalysed, guided and regioselective CH arylations of a series of fused 3‐nitropyridines. The method described here is a facile tool for the chemical functionalisation of drug‐like fused pyridines. The scope and limitations of the reaction, the chemical potential of the nitro group and a putative reaction mechanism are discussed.

This method provides a valuable one-pot shortcut for the synthesis of 4-quinolones, benzopyran derivatives and other fused systems from (ortho-fluoro)-3-benzoylchromones.

Pd- or Ni-catalyzed C-H arylation of 4-nitroimidazole derivatives directed by a manipulable nitro group was developed. The reaction tolerates a wide range of substituted aryl halides and 4-nitroimidazoles. The experiments indicated that the nitro group has influence on regioselectivity of the reaction. In addition, we have shown that the efficiency of the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of nitroimidazoles is slightly lower in comparison to the direct C-H arylation. The exploration of the chemical potential of the nitro group and a putative reaction mechanism are discussed.

In this report, we demonstrate that the reaction of nitroarenes with hexamethyldisilane under various conditions affords a different range of compounds with excellent selectivity.