Copper Catalysis

The use of picolinic acid amide derivatives as an effective family of bidentate ligands for copper‐catalysed aryl ether synthesis is reported. A fluorine‐substituted ligand gave good results in the synthesis of a wide range of aryl ethers. Even bulky phenols, known to be very challenging substrates, were shown to react with aryl iodides with excellent yields using these ligands. At the end of the reaction, the first examples of end‐of‐life Cu species were isolated and identified as CuII complexes with several of the anionic ligands tested. A preliminary mechanistic investigation is reported that suggests that the substituents on the ligands might have a crucial role in determining the redox properties of the metal centre and, consequently, its efficacy in the coupling process. An understanding of these effects is important for the development of new efficient and tunable ligands for copper‐based chemistry.

Cu-catalysed arylation reactions devoted to the formation of C–C and C–heteroatom bonds (Ullmann-type couplings) have acquired great importance in the last decade. This review discusses the history and development of coupling reactions between aryl halides and various classes of nucleophiles, focusing mostly on the different mechanisms proposed through the years. Selected mechanistic investigations are treated more in depth than others. For example, evidence in favour or against radical mechanisms is discussed. Cu(I) and Cu(III) complexes involved in the Ullmann reaction and N/O selectivity in aminoalcohol arylation are discussed. A separate section has been dedicated to the synthesis of heterocyclic rings through intramolecular couplings. Finally, recent developments in green chemistry for these reactions, such as reactions in aqueous media and heterogeneous catalysis, have also been reviewed.

A combination of copper iodide and phenanthroline as the
ligand is an efficient catalyst for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling
of highly fluorinated boronate esters (aryl Bpin) with aryl
iodides and bromides to generate fluorinated biaryls in good to
excellent yields. This method represents a nice alternative to
traditional cross-coupling methods which require palladium
catalysts and stoichiometric amounts of silver oxide. We note
that π···π stacking interactions dominate the molecular packing
in the partly fluorinated biaryl crystals investigated herein. They
are present either between the arene and perfluoroarene, or
solely between arenes or perfluoroarenes, respectivel

Investigation of the use of green organic solvents for the Cu-catalysed arylation of phenols and amides is reported. Alkyl acetates proved to be efficient solvents in the catalytic processes, and therefore excellent alternatives to the typical non-green solvents used for Cu-catalysed arylation reactions. Solvents such as isosorbide dimethyl ether (DMI) and diethyl carbonate also appear to be viable possibilities for the arylation of phenols. Finally, a novel copper catalysed acyl transfer process is reported.

A copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of benzylpyridine N-oxides is reported. The N-oxide moiety acts as a built-in activator for the benzylic methylene oxidation, without requirement of additives. Reaction conditions were identified which suppress undesired benzoylpyridine formation via N-deoxygenation involving intermolecular oxygen transfer. The versatility of the N-oxide group of the benzoylpyridine N-oxide reaction products for post-functionalization of the pyridine ring is demonstrated through efficient C–C, C–N, C–O and C–Cl bond forming procedures, with both nucleophiles and electrophiles. Finally, the applicability of the new synthetic methodology is demonstrated in an alternative route towards the antihistaminic drug Acrivastine via three consecutive N-oxide activated C–H functionalization processes, starting from picoline N-oxide.

Catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition reactions represent a powerful strategy to access chiral molecules in contemporary organic synthesis. However, their applicability to conjugated alkenyl-N-heteroaromatic compounds, of particular interest in medicinal chemistry, has lagged behind applications to other substrates. We report a highly enantioselective and chemoselective catalytic transformation of a wide range of β-substituted conjugated alkenyl-N-heteroaromatics to their corresponding chiral alkylated products. This operationally simple methodology can introduce linear, branched, and cyclic alkyl chains, as well as a phenyl group, at the β-carbon position. The key to this success was enhancement of the reactivity of alkenyl-heteroaromatic substrates via Lewis acid activation, in combination with the use of readily available and highly reactive Grignard reagents and a copper catalyst coordinated by a chiral chelating diphosphine ligand.

A combination of copper iodide and phenanthroline as the ligand is an efficient catalyst for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of highly fluorinated boronate esters (aryl-Bpin) with aryl iodides and bromides to generate fluorinated biaryls in good to excellent yields. This method represents a nice alternative to traditional cross-coupling methods which require palladium catalysts and stoichiometric amounts of silver oxide. We note that π×××π stacking interactions dominate the molecular packing in the partly fluorinated biaryl crystals investigated herein. They are present either between the arene and perfluoroarene, or solely between arenes or perfluoroarenes, respectively.

Functionalized diazatetracenes are prepared using a new two-step sequence. The use of a dichlorobenzaldehyde in a Cu-catalyzed benzannulation of acetylenes provides functionalized dichloronaphthalenes that afford diazatetracenes using Buchwald–Hartwig aminations. This approach provides unique substitution patterns and rapid access to covalently linked dimeric diazatetracenes. Their electronic properties are characterized by UV–vis absorption/emission and cyclic voltammetry, revealing strong effects from both external stimuli by acid and internal substituent effects.