Search for: All records

Abstract Dehydrogenation chemistry has long been established as a fundamental aspect of organic synthesis, commonly encountered in carbonyl compounds. Transition metal catalysis revolutionized it, with strategies like transfer-dehydrogenation, single electron transfer and C–H activation. These approaches, extended to multiple dehydrogenations, can lead to aromatization. Dehydrogenative transformations of aliphatic carboxylic acids pose challenges, yet engineered ligands and metal catalysis can initiate dehydrogenation via C–H activation, though outcomes vary based on substrate structures. Herein, we have developed a catalytic system enabling cyclohexane carboxylic acids to undergo multifold C–H activation to furnish olefinated arenes, bypassing lactone formation. This showcases unique reactivity in aliphatic carboxylic acids, involving tandem dehydrogenation-olefination-decarboxylation-aromatization sequences, validated by control experiments and key intermediate isolation. For cyclopentane carboxylic acids, reluctant to aromatization, the catalytic system facilitates controlled dehydrogenation, providing difunctionalized cyclopentenes through tandem dehydrogenation-olefination-decarboxylation-allylic acyloxylation sequences. This transformation expands carboxylic acids into diverse molecular entities with wide applications, underscoring its importance. 

Abstract The significance of stereoselective C−H bond functionalization thrives on its direct application potential to pharmaceuticals or complex chiral molecule synthesis. Complication arises when there are multiple stereogenic elements such as a center and an axis of chirality to control. Over the years cooperative assistance of multiple chiral ligands has been applied to control only chiral centers. In this work, we harness the essence of cooperative ligand approach to control two different stereogenic elements in the same molecule by atroposelective allylation to synthesize axially chiral biaryls from its racemic precursor. The crucial roles played by chiral phosphoric acid and chiral amino acid ligand in concert helped us to obtain one major stereoisomer out of four distinct possibilities. 

Abstract Transition metal catalysis plays a pivotal role in transforming unreactive C–H bonds. However, regioselective activation of distal aliphatic C–H bonds poses a tremendous challenge, particularly in the absence of directing templates. Activation of a methylene C–H bond in the presence of methyl C–H is underexplored. Here we show activation of a methylene C–H bond in the presence of methyl C–H bonds to form unsaturated bicyclic lactones. The protocol allows the reversal of the general selectivity in aliphatic C–H bond activation. Computational studies suggest that reversible C–H activation is followed by β-hydride elimination to generate the Pd-coordinated cycloalkene that undergoes stereoselective C–O cyclization, and subsequent β-hydride elimination to provide bicyclic unsaturated lactones. The broad generality of this reaction has been highlighted via dehydrogenative lactonization of mid to macro ring containing acids along with the C–H olefination reaction with olefin and allyl alcohol. The method substantially simplifies the synthesis of important bicyclic lactones that are important features of natural products as well as pharmacoactive molecules. 

Abstract Carbazole alkaloids hold great potential in pharmaceutical and material sciences. However, the current approaches for C1 functionalization of carbazoles rely on the use of a pre‐installed directing group, severely limiting their applicability and hindering their overall efficiency. Herein, we report for the first time the development of direct Pd‐catalyzed C−H alkylation and acylation of carbazoles assisted by norbornene (NBE) as a transient directing mediator. Notably, the involvement of a six‐membered palladacycle intermediate was suggested in this case, representing the first example of such intermediacy within the extensively studied Pd/norbornene reactions realm. 

Abstract Directed C−H functionalization has been realized as a complimentary technique to achieve borylation at a distal position of aliphatic amines. Here, we demonstrated the oxidative borylation at the distal δ‐position of aliphatic amines using various borylating agents, a palladium catalyst, and a rightly tuned ligand in the presence of a cheap oxidant. Moreover, an organopalladium δ‐C(sp³)‐H‐activated intermediate has been isolated and crystallographically characterized to get mechanistic insight. 

Abstract Selectfluor, [1‐chloromethyl‐4‐fluoro‐1,4‐diazoniabicyclo‐[2.2.2]octane bis(tetrafluoroborate)], is not only an important electrophilic fluorinating agent but also a facile and efficient “fluorine‐free” functional reagent in other organic reactions. In this Minireview, we will present a brief history of Selectfluor as a transition metal oxidant, fluorine cation and radical initiator in “fluorine‐free” functionalizations over the last five years. 

Abstract The first example of Pd^II‐catalyzed γ‐C(sp³)−H functionalization of aliphatic and benzoheteroaryl aldehydes has been developed using a transient ligand and an external ligand, concurrently. A wide array of γ‐arylated aldehydes were readily accessed without preinstalling internal directing groups. The catalytic mechanism was studied by performing deuterium‐labelling experiments, which indicated that the γ‐C(sp³)−H bond cleavage is the rate‐limiting step during the reaction process. This reaction could be performed on a gram scale, and also demonstrated its potential application in the synthesis of new mechanofluorochromic materials with blue‐shifted mechanochromic properties. 

This work unlocks an opportunity to rapidly construct fused heterocyclic cations for efficient screening of single-molecular white-light-emitting materials and pure red-light-emitting materials.