Nickel-catalyzed reductive cleavage of aryl–oxygen bonds in alkoxy- and pivaloxyarenes using hydrosilanes as a mild reducing agent

A new palladium-catalyzed arylation process based on C-H activation has been developed. The utilization of pyridine-containing directing groups allows the beta-arylation of carboxylic acid derivatives and gamma-arylation of amine derivatives. Both primary and secondary sp3 C-H bonds, as well as sp2 C-H bonds, are reactive.

Although nitrogen-containing group-directed cyclopalladation reactions have been well-known, Pd(II) insertion into C-H bonds promoted by coordination of an oxygen-only group to the palladium remains rather rare. In the present study, the first cyclopalladation complex formed from a simple phenol ester was characterized by X-ray crystallography. A promising protocol for the ortho C-H activation/aryl-aryl coupling of phenol esters that was not sensitive to moisture or air was then established. The utility of the reaction was demonstrated for the synthesis of useful phenol derivatives.