An ortho-selective ammonium chloride salt-catalyzed direct C−H monohalogenation of phenols and 1,1′-bi-2naphthol (BINOL) with 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (DCDMH) as the chlorinating agent has been developed. The catalyst loading was low (down to 0.01 mol %) and the reaction conditions were very mild. A wide range of substrates including BINOLs were compatible with this catalytic protocol. Chlorinated BINOLs are useful synthons for the synthesis of a wide range of unsymmetrical 3-aryl BINOLs that are not easily accessible. In addition, the same catalytic system can facilitate the orthoselective selenylation of phenols.

Novel sulfur and selenium-bridged [8]circulenes were prepared from octabromotetraphenylene. Structures of these compounds were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analyses. Photophysical and electrochemical investigations of these [8]circulenes suggest their potential applications as electronic materials. The antiaromatic nature of tetrathio[8]circulene and tetraselenium[8]circulene was studied by computational methods, and the NICS computational results reveal that the central eight-membered ring has highly antiaromatic character.

CuI-catalyzed coupling of N-acyl-N'-substituted hydrazines with aryl iodides takes place at 60-90 °C to afford N-acyl-N',N'-disubstituted hydrazines regioselectively and thereby gives a facile method for assembling N,N-diaryl hydrazines. N-Acyl-N'-substituted hydrazines can also react with 2-bromoarylcarbonylic compounds at 60-125 °C under the catalysis of CuI/4-hydroxy-l-proline to provide 1-aryl-1H-indazoles.