Synthetic streamlining via C-H bond functionalization.

Abstract

Direct functionalization of C-H bonds is a useful tool in organic synthesis. In the past few years, our group has developed efficient strategies to construct C-C, C-N, C-O and C-S bonds assisted by palladium and copper catalysts, hypervalent iodine reagents and photocatalysts in visible light. Copper catalyzed site-selective methylthiolation of arenes and heteroarenes, alkylation of azine N-oxides, amidation of N,N,-dimethyl anilines, and aminomethylation of phenols has been accomplished. With Palladium as catalyst, decarboxylative alkylation of arenes with carboxylic acids and carbonylative coupling using chloroform as the CO source are few representative functionalizations. Iodine and hypervalent iodine assisted oxidative transformations in heterocycles have been developed for C-N bond formation and cyclization. Photocatalyzed thioyanation, halogenation, decarboxylative benzoylation, hydroarylation and other functionalizations in visible light are being explored.