Abstract:In this account, the early stages of our campaign (2006 2009) to develop catalysts able to realize ideal arene assembly through catalytic C H bond arylation of aromatic compounds are described. New Rh, Ir, and Ni catalysts have been developed for the C H bond arylation of heteroarenes with haloarenes. It was also found that Cu(OCOCF 3 ) 2 can promote the C H bond arylation of electron rich arenes with aryl boronic acids. During these studies, we accidentally discovered that KOt Bu alone can promote the C H bond arylation of electron defi cient nitrogen heterocycles with haloarenes. Through a sequence of three consecutive bond selective C H arylations, a programmed synthesis of tetraarylthiophenes has been established. During this study, we discovered metal and ligand controlled regiodivergency in C H bond arylation. Scheme 1. Arene assembling reactions through C H bond functionali zation.J. Synth. Org. Chem., Jpn.
1132
Rhodium Catalyzed C H/C X Biaryl CouplingOur initial scenario for realizing an effi cient transition metal catalyzed biaryl coupling of arenes with haloarenes (C H/C X biaryl coupling) has been the redox catalysis shown in Scheme 3. 8 This involves (i) oxidative addition of haloarene (Ar X) to transition metal complex (M), (ii) electrophilic metalation of arene (Ar H) with thus formed Ar M X giving diarylmetal species, and (iii) reductive elimination of biaryl product (Ar Ar) with the regeneration of catalyst M. We envisaged that the use of electron withdrawing neutral ligand would lead to a distinct nucleophile electrophile interaction between an arene (Ar H) and Ar M X species, thereby promoting electrophilic arene metalation. In addition, we also expected such a ligand to facilitate the product forming reductive elimination step. This mechanistic blueprint means our designed C H/C X biaryl coupling should best be described as a Friedel Crafts aromatic arylation reaction.In order to fi nd an as yet unexplored catalyst of this kind, we took a very distinct and unconventional approach. Rather than screening various ligands for a transition metal, we screened transition metals by fi xing the ligand as P[OCH(CF 3 ) 2 ] 3 which is known to be one of the most electron withdrawing neutral ligands.9 After extensive screening, we were able to identify that Rh 10 is a central metal of choice, able to realize our concept, and that RhCl(CO){P[OCH(CF 3 ) 2 ] 3 } 2 (1) is a bench stable catalyst precursor (Scheme 3). 8 The complex 1 can be prepared quantitatively by mixing [RhCl(CO) 2 ] 2 and P[OCH(CF 3 ) 2 ] 3 in toluene. A notable feature of this complex is its outstanding stability to air and moisture in the solid state. Virtually no decomposition of 1 has been detected after extended ( 10 months) exposure to air. The X ray crystal structure of 1 indicates that this may be partly due to effective shielding of the Rh atom by two bulky phosphite ligands (Scheme 3).Rhodium complex 1, with the assistance of silver carbonate, catalyzed the C H/C X biaryl coupling of electron rich heteroarenes and iod...