A general and efficient palladium-catalyzed intermolecular direct C-H homocoupling of furans and thiophenes has been developed. The reaction is characterized by using molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant and complete C5-position regioselectivity. Both C2- and C3-substituted furans or thiophenes are appropriate substrates. The approach provides a straightforward, facile, and economical route to bifurans and bithiophenes under mild reaction conditions.

An efficient and economical palladium-catalyzed oxidation system has been identified. The oxidation system, characterized by not adding ligand and using molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant, can realize the Tsuji-Wacker oxidation of terminal olefins and especially styrenes to methyl ketones; in addition, this system can achieve tandem Wacker oxidation-dehydrogenation of terminal olefins to α,β-unsaturated ketones.

A new chemistry of hydrazines that is a copper-catalyzed radical reaction to synthesize vinyl sulfones from readily available N-tosylhydrazones has been described. The protocol provides a novel strategy for the synthesis of various vinyl sulfones including α, β-disubstituted ones and terminal ones. The advantages of the transformation include excellent E stereoselectivity, broad substrate scope, low cost of reagents, and convenient operation. A novel and efficient one-pot synthesis of alkynes from N-tosylhydrazones has been achieved. The studies provide important complementary approaches for the syntheses of vinyl sulfones and alkynes.