Recent progress in the C H coupling reactions of heteroaromatic compounds in our group is summarized. Coupling of thiophene derivatives occurs in the presence of a nickel or palladium catalyst with a base as an additive. Lithium t butoxide and several magnesium amides are effective for the coupling reaction of aryl chlorides, bromides, and iodides. Coupling at the C H bond of thiophene with thienyl halides also occurs smoothly forming a thiophene thiophene bond. The reaction is successfully applied to the polymerization of 2 halo 3 substituted thiophenes leading to highly regioregular head to tail type poly(3 substituted thiophene)s. The reaction of thiazole at the C H bond (2 position) with several secondary amines induces C H, N H coupling with a copper catalyst. J. Synth. Org. Chem., Jpn.
1202In considering the reaction mechanism of thiazoles and thiophenes as shown in Scheme 3, the key for the catalytic reaction would be the palladation reaction at the C H bond. The organopalladium intermediate Aryl Pd Th (Th thiophene) can undergo reductive elimination leading to the arylation product accompanied by the formation of palladium(0). There would be two possible pathways for the formation of Aryl Pd Th: Nucleophilic substitution of a heteroaromatic carbanion, which is formed by proton abstraction, to palladium(II) (path a), or electrophilic attack to palladium and following re aromatization (path b). The former is expected to occur at the acidic C H bond such as the 2 position of thiazole, whereas an electron enriched carbon such as the 5 position of thiazole or the 2 position of thiophene would favor the latter.However, proton abstraction at the less acidic C H bond at the 2 position of thiophene may also be possible if a stronger base is employed and that such new reaction systems may open fresh vistas for the C H functionalization of heteroaromatic compounds. Indeed, this has been recently demonstrated for several coupling reactions with heteroaromatic compounds at various types of C H bonds in the presence of a copper catalyst, in which group I alkoxides, magnesium and zinc amides have been successfully utilized.11 Herewith, our recent efforts on the C H functionalization of thiophene derivatives using relatively stronger bases and transition metal catalysis for the purpose of synthesizing advanced materials with extended π conjugation, and particularly those directed to the preparation of oligothiophenes and polythiophenes are described.On the other hand, it is also important to develop catalytic reactions forming carbon heteroatom bonds as well as the extensively studied carbon carbon bond forming cross coupling reactions. Buchwald Hartwig amination with a nickel or palladium catalyst for the coupling of aromatic halide and amines has been a highly effective protocol to form a carbon nitrogen bond.12 Accordingly, the reaction of amines at a C H bond of heteroaromatic compounds is intriguing as an alternative choice. Our recent efforts concerning a novel C H, N H coupling of azoles using a copper ...