Recently, contemporaneous strategies to achieve the vicinal difluorination of alkenes via an I(I)/I(III) catalysis manifold were independently reported by this laboratory and by Jacobsen and co-workers. Both strategies proceed through a transient ArI(III)F species generated by oxidation of the ArI catalyst. Herein, an efficient synthesis of p-TolIF from p-TolI and Selectfluor is presented, together with a crystallographic and spectroscopic study. To mitigate safety concerns and simplify reaction execution, an HF-free protocol was devised employing CsF as a substitute fluoride source. The study provides insight into the initial I(I)→I(III) oxidation stage of the catalytic protocol using Selectfluor.

The increasing demand for isotopically labeled compounds has provided appreciable impetus for the development of improved methods for the late stage introduction of isotopes of hydrogen (deuterium or tritium). Moreover, sp 3-rich molecules are becoming increasingly common in the exploration of chemical space for drug design. Herein, we report an efficient iridium(I) catalysed C-H activation method for the hydrogen isotope exchange of sp 3 C-H bonds. A wide range of substrates have been labeled, including active pharmaceutical ingredients, delivering excellent levels of isotope incorporation and predictable regiocontrol, with low catalyst loadings, in short reaction times, and under mild reaction conditions.

Isotopic labelling is a key technology of increasing importance for the investigation of new CH activation and functionalization techniques, as well as in the construction of labelled molecules for use within both organic synthesis and drug discovery. Herein, we report for the first time selective iridium-catalyzed CH activation and hydrogen-isotope exchange at the β-position of unsaturated organic compounds. The use of our highly active [Ir(cod)(IMes)(PPh3 )][PF6 ] (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene) catalyst, under mild reaction conditions, allows the regioselective β-activation and labelling of a range of α,β-unsaturated compounds with differing steric and electronic properties. This new process delivers high levels of isotope incorporation over short reaction times by using low levels of catalyst loading.

Gold(I)-catalyzed reactions of thiols, thiophenols, and thioacids with 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes occur in a regioselective and chemoselective manner to produce either vinyl thioethers or primary allylic thioesters in good yields. A survey of commonly used gold(I) catalysts shows Echavarren's cationic gold(I) catalyst to be most tolerant of deactivation by sulfur. A novel digold with bridging thiolate complex is characterized by X-ray crystallography, shedding light on a possible deactivation pathway.

Depending on the conditions employed, gold(I)-catalyzed addition of indoles to 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes can be controlled to yield either 3-(E)-vinylindoles (3) or bis-indolylalkanes (4). If the cyclopropene substituents are sterically bulky, unprecedented gold-catalyzed oxidation under air occurs to yield bis-indolylalkene (5) and epoxide (6) at room temperature.