A practical, Pd(0)/Pd(II)-catalyzed reaction was developed for phenol-directed C-H activation/C-O cyclization using air as an oxidant. The turnover-limiting step of the process was found to be C-O reductive elimination instead of C-H activation. This reaction can tolerate a variety of functional groups and is complementary to the previous methods for the synthesis of substituted dibenzofurans.

An unprecedented type of reaction for Cu-catalyzed trifluoromethylation of terminal alkenes is reported. This reaction represents a rare instance of catalytic trifluoromethylation through C(sp(3))-H activation. It also provides a mechanistically unique example of Cu-catalyzed allylic C-H activation/functionalization. Both experimental and theoretical analyses indicate that the trifluoromethylation may occur via a Heck-like four-membered-ring transition state.

Pd-catalyzed directed ortho C-H amidation of aromatic ketones with both sulfonamides and amides has been accomplished. The use of an electron-deficient Pd complex, Pd(OTf)(2), is crucial for the success of this transformation. Some key intermediates of the reaction, that is, the cyclopalladation complexes of ketones, have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. Experimental analysis of these palladacycles and also the experimental results with N-methyl sulfonamides indicate that the new reaction does not seem to proceed through a nitrene intermediate. The utility of the newly developed reaction was demonstrated for the synthesis of useful organic intermediates such as 2- and 3-alkyl indoles and 2-aminophenyl ketones.

An unexpected C-H activation/C-C cross-coupling reaction has been found to occur between pyridine N-oxides and general nonactivated secondary and even tertiary alkyl bromides. It provides a practically useful approach for the synthesis of alkylated pyridine derivatives. Experimental observations indicated that the C-Br cleavage step involves a radical-type process. Thus, the title reaction provides a rather extraordinary example of Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of secondary and tertiary aliphatic electrophiles.

A copper-promoted trifluoromethylation reaction of aromatic amines is described. This transformation proceeds smoothly under mild conditions and exhibits good tolerance of many synthetically relevant functional groups. It provides an alternative approach for the synthesis of trifluoromethylated arenes and heteroarenes. It also constitutes a new example of the Sandmeyer reaction.