The site-selective formation of carbon-carbon bonds through direct functionalizations of otherwise unreactive carbon-hydrogen bonds constitutes an economically attractive strategy for an overall streamlining of sustainable syntheses. In recent decades, intensive research efforts have led to the development of various reaction conditions for challenging C-H bond functionalizations, among which transition-metal-catalyzed transformations arguably constitute thus far the most valuable tool. For instance, the use of inter alia palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, copper, or iron complexes set the stage for chemo-, site-, diastereo-, and/or enantioselective C-H bond functionalizations. Key to success was generally a detailed mechanistic understanding of the elementary C-H bond metalation step, which depending on the nature of the metal fragment can proceed via several distinct reaction pathways. Traditionally, three different modes of action were primarily considered for CH bond metalations, namely, (i) oxidative addition with electronrich late transition metals, (ii) σ-bond metathesis with early transition metals, and (iii) electrophilic activation with electrondeficient late transition metals (Scheme 1). However, more recent mechanistic studies indicated the existence of a continuum of electrophilic, ambiphilic, and nucleophilic interactions. Within this continuum, detailed experimental and computational analysis provided strong evidence for novel C-H bond metalationmechanisms relying on the assistance of a bifunctional ligand bearing an additional Lewis-basic heteroatom, such as that found in (heteroatom-substituted) secondary phosphine oxides or most prominently carboxylates (Scheme 1, iv). This novel insight into the nature of stoichiometric metalations has served as stimulus for the development of novel transformations based on cocatalytic amounts of carboxylates, which significantly broadened the scope of C-H bond functionalizations in recent years, with most remarkable progress being made in palladiumor ruthenium-catalyzed direct arylations and direct alkylations. These carboxylate-assisted C-H bond transformations were mostly proposed to proceed via a mechanism in which metalation takes place via a concerted base-assisted deprotonation. To mechanistically differentiate these intramolecular metalations new acronyms have recently been introduced into the literature, such as CMD (concerted metalationdeprotonation), IES (internal electrophilic substitution), or AMLA (ambiphilic metal ligand activation), which describe related mechanisms and will be used below where appropriate. This review summarizes the development and scope of carboxylates as cocatalysts in transition-metal-catalyzed C-H functionalizations until autumn 2010. Moreover, experimental and computational studies on stoichiometric metalation reactions being of relevance to the mechanism of these catalytic processes are discussed as well. Mechanistically related C-H bond cleavage reactions with ruthenium or iridium complexes bearing monodentate ligands are, however, only covered with respect to their working mode, and transformations with stoichiometric amounts of simple acetate bases are solely included when their mechanism was suggested to proceed by acetate-assisted metalation.

Carboxylate-assisted transition-metal-catalyzed C-H bond functionalizations: mechanism and scope.

C–H activation has surfaced as an increasingly powerful tool for molecular sciences, with notable applications to material sciences, crop protection, drug discovery, and pharmaceutical industries, among others. Despite major advances, the vast majority of these C–H functionalizations required precious 4d or 5d transition metal catalysts. Given the cost-effective and sustainable nature of earth-abundant first row transition metals, the development of less toxic, inexpensive 3d metal catalysts for C–H activation has gained considerable recent momentum as a significantly more environmentally-benign and economically-attractive alternative. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview on first row transition metal catalysts for C–H activation until summer 2018.

3d Transition Metals for C-H Activation.

The coupling of aryl halides with catalytically activated aryl C–H bondsprovides a desirable and atom-economical alternative to standard cross-coupling reactions for the construction of new C–C bonds. The reaction, termed direct (hetero)arylation, is believed to follow a base-assisted, concerted metalation-deprotonation (CMD) pathway. During this process, carboxylate or carbonate anions coordinate to the metal center, typically palladium, in situ and assist in the deprotonation transition state. Researchers have employed this methodology with numerous arenes and heteroarenes, including substituted benzenes, perfluorinated benzenes, and thiophenes. Thiophene substrates have demonstrated high reactivity toward C–H bond activation when appropriately substituted with electron-rich and/or electron-deficient groups. Because of the pervasive use of thiophenes in materials for organic electronics, researchers have used this chemistry to modularly prepare conjugated small molecules and, more recently, conjugated p...

Direct (Hetero)Arylation: A New Tool for Polymer Chemists

In recent years, transition metal-catalyzed direct (hetero)arylation reactions of heteroarenes with (hetero)aryl halides and pseudohalides have received significant attention as eco-friendly and economic alternatives to classical methods for the construction of heteroaryl-(hetero)aryl CC bonds by transition metal-catalyzed cross-couplings involving the use of stoichiometric amounts of organometallic reagents. This critical review with 430 references covers the results obtained in the period January 2009 to February 2013 in the area of the transition metal-catalyzed direct inter- and intramolecular (hetero)arylation reactions of heteroarenes containing one heteroatom. Particular attention has been given to illustrate chemo- and site selectivity aspects of these reactions as well applications of these CC bond forming reactions in the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant compounds, natural products and their analogues and precursors. The most recent advancements into the mechanism(s) of these reactions have also been briefly reported.

Cross‐Coupling of Heteroarenes by CH Functionalization: Recent Progress towards Direct Arylation and Heteroarylation Reactions Involving Heteroarenes Containing One Heteroatom

A survey highlighting the most recent palladium catalytic systems produced and their performances for progress in direct synthesis of indole backbones by heterocarbocyclization of reactive substrates is provided The discussion is developed in relation with the principles of sustainable chemistry concerning atom and mass economy In this respect, the general convergent character of the syntheses is of particular interest (one-pot, domino, cascade or tandem reactions), and the substrates accessibility and reactivity, together with the final waste production, are also important This critical review clearly indicates that the development of ligand chemistry, mainly phosphines and carbenes, in the last few decades gave a significant impetus to powerful functionalization of indoles at virtually all positions of this ubiquitous backbone (118 references)

Progress in palladium-based catalytic systems for the sustainable synthesis of annulated heterocycles: a focus on indole backbones.

Recent Advances in Palladium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions at ppm to ppb Molar Catalyst Loadings

Put a ring on it: The use of an air-stable, robust palladium/tridentate phosphane catalyst in direct C[BOND]H and C[BOND]Cl activation reactions is reported (see scheme; DMAc=N,N-dimethylacetamide, TBAB=tetra-n-butylammonium bromide). Electron-rich, electron-poor, and polysubstituted furans (X=O), thiophenes (X=S), pyrroles (X=NR5), and thiazoles were arylated with chloroarenes in the presence of the catalyst.

A Versatile Palladium/Triphosphane System for Direct Arylation of Heteroarenes with Chloroarenes at Low Catalyst Loading

The palladium-catalyzed direct arylations at C3 or C4 positions of heteroaromatics are known to be more challenging than at C2 or C5 positions. Aryl chlorides are also challenging substrates for direct arylation of heteroaromatics. We observed that in the presence of a palladium-catalyst combining only 0.5 mol % of Pd(OAc)2 with the sterically relieved new ferrocenyl diphosphane Sylphos, the direct arylation at C3 or C4 of oxazoles, a benzofuran, an indole, and a pyrazole was found to proceed in moderate to high yields using a variety of electron deficient aryl chlorides. Turnover numbers up to 176 have been obtained with this catalyst. Assessment of the electron-donating properties of Sylphos from electrochemical studies and 1JPSe measurement on its selenide derivative indirectly indicated that the influence of steric properties of Sylphos–and in particular a less sterically congested environment at phosphorus due to a methylene spacer–are certainly dominant in its catalytic performance.

Palladium-Catalyzed Direct Arylation of Heteroaromatics with Activated Aryl Chlorides Using a Sterically Relieved Ferrocenyl-Diphosphane

A new ferrocenyl triphosphane ligand associated to palladium was found to be an efficient catalyst for the direct coupling of highly congested, functionalised aryl bromides with a variety of heteroarenes. These coupling reactions can generally be performed by using a low-loading (0.1-0.5 mol%) of the catalyst. The present protocol tolerates important and useful functional groups, which allows for further elaboration into more sophisticated heterocyclic molecules. The straightforward arylation of heteroaromatic compounds with congested ortho-substituted aryl bromides may permit further convergent syntheses of diverse ligands, biologically active molecules and molecular materials in only a few steps.

Direct Arylation of Heteroaromatic Compounds with Congested, Functionalised Aryl Bromides at Low Palladium/Triphosphane Catalyst Loading

The synthesis of novel substituted cyclopentadienyl salts that incorporate both a congested branched alkyl group (tert-butyl, (triphenyl)methyl, or tri(4-tert-butyl)phenylmethyl) and a phosphanyl g...

Congested ferrocenyl polyphosphanes bearing electron-donating or electron-withdrawing phosphanyl groups: assessment of metallocene conformation from NMR spin couplings and use in palladium-catalyzed chloroarenes activation.

David Roy

Papers

Recent Advances in Palladium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions at ppm to ppb Molar Catalyst Loadings

A Versatile Palladium/Triphosphane System for Direct Arylation of Heteroarenes with Chloroarenes at Low Catalyst Loading

Palladium-Catalyzed Direct Arylation of Heteroaromatics with Activated Aryl Chlorides Using a Sterically Relieved Ferrocenyl-Diphosphane

Direct Arylation of Heteroaromatic Compounds with Congested, Functionalised Aryl Bromides at Low Palladium/Triphosphane Catalyst Loading

Congested ferrocenyl polyphosphanes bearing electron-donating or electron-withdrawing phosphanyl groups: assessment of metallocene conformation from NMR spin couplings and use in palladium-catalyzed chloroarenes activation.