C–H bond functionalization: recent discoveries and future directions

• Indranil Chatterjee

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1568–1569, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.114

• Indranil Chatterjee Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Nangal Road, Rupnagar, Punjab 140001, India 10.3762/bjoc.19.114 Keywords: C–H bond functionalization; The process of C–H bond functionalization can be defined as the replacement of an activated or nonactivated C−H

• well as famous Noble-prize-winning cross-couplings, therefore approaching another step up towards sustainability. Likewise, a free-radical process is also a classical way to functionalize nonactivated C−H bonds in which site selectivity arises either from the relative strength of the C−H bonds or from

• the abstraction of intramolecular hydrogen atoms. Radical chemistry is a viable alternative to the two-electron process, involving C–H bond functionalization in the absence of any ligand and using low-cost redox-active metals (Fe, Cu, Mn, etc.) rather than heavy metals (Rh, Ir, etc.). Although radical

Lewis acid-promoted direct synthesis of isoxazole derivatives

• Dengxu Qiu,
• Chenhui Jiang,
• Pan Gao and
• Yu Yuan

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1562–1567, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.113

• developed to prepare isoxazole derivatives [10][11][12][13]. However, most of the starting materials for these methods are oximes and hydroximinoyl chlorides [4][13][14][15]. Recently, the sp3 C–H bond functional group transformation of 2-methylquinoline derivatives into isoxazole derivatives has been

• the Lewis acid to realize the sp3 C–H-bond activation of nitrogen heterocycles to synthesize isoxazole derivatives. Results and Discussion At the outset of this study, we chose the reaction of 2-methylquinoline (2a) with phenylacetylene (1a) in the presence of AlCl3 (3 equiv) and sodium nitrite (10

• oxide E [23], which can be converted to the desired isoxazole with 1a through a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Conclusion In conclusion, we have developed an efficient and concise synthesis of isoxazole nitrogen heterocycles by direct C–H-bond activation of methyl heteroaromatics. The method avoids using

Synthesis and biological evaluation of Argemone mexicana-inspired antimicrobials

• Jessica Villegas,
• Bryce C. Ball,
• Katelyn M. Shouse,
• Caleb W. VanArragon,
• Ashley N. Wasserman,
• Hannah E. Bhakta,
• Allen G. Oliver,
• Danielle A. Orozco-Nunnelly and
• Jeffrey M. Pruet

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1511–1524, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.108

• most streamlined method involves a copper-promoted Pictet–Spengler-type cyclization with glyoxal, with oxidative aromatization at the 8-position (Scheme 1) [30][35]. A recent report suggested a mechanistic role of Cu2+ involving C–H activation [36]; however, it is known that this reaction proceeds

Unraveling the role of prenyl side-chain interactions in stabilizing the secondary carbocation in the biosynthesis of variexenol B

• Moe Nakano,
• Rintaro Gemma and
• Hajime Sato

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1503–1510, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.107

• hyperconjugative interactions, through-space interactions, and C–H–π interactions, have been intensively investigated by Tantillo and co-workers, who have contributed greatly to revealing the intriguing nature of carbocations [7][19][20]. We have also elucidated various new insights of carbocation chemistry, such

• as the C–H–π interaction between the carbocation intermediate and the Phe residue of terpene cyclase in the biosynthesis of sesterfisherol [21], and the intricated rearrangement reaction mechanism promoted by the equilibrium state of the homoallyl cation and the cyclopropylcarbinyl cation in the

N-Sulfenylsuccinimide/phthalimide: an alternative sulfenylating reagent in organic transformations

• Fatemeh Doraghi,
• Seyedeh Pegah Aledavoud,
• Mehdi Ghanbarlou,
• Bagher Larijani and
• Mohammad Mahdavi

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1471–1502, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.106

• functional materials and indispensable synthetic intermediates in drug discovery [31][32][33]. Because of their value, constructing C–S bonds has attracted significant attention via metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions and metal-free C–S bond formation [34][35][36][37]. Direct sulfenylation of the C–H

• of aryl sulfides by using the catalyst and the base. A catalytic cycle is shown in Scheme 4. Firstly, electrophilic Pd(TFA)2 generated from Pd(OAc)2 and TFA, which (by C–H functionalization of arene 4) led to intermediate II. Oxidative insertion of intermediate II into the N–S bond of 1 afforded

• intermediate III. Reductive elimination of Pd from III gave product 5 and species IV. Finaly, Pd(II) species were reproduced by ligand exchange to restart the next cycle (Scheme 4). In 2014, Fu and co-workers described a facile method for the C–H thiolation of phenols 7 with 1-(substituted phenylthio

Application of N-heterocyclic carbene–Cu(I) complexes as catalysts in organic synthesis: a review

• Nosheen Beig,
• Varsha Goyal and
• Raj K. Bansal

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1408–1442, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.102

• on C1 enhancing its nuceophilicity (Figure 9). The Mulliken charge, obtained from the NBO calculations, was found to be almost double at the C–H atom in the complexed alkyne (−0.294) as compared to the free alkyne (−0.129). Furthermore, as depicted in Figure 10, the HOMO–LUMO energy gap in the NHC–Cu

• and the use of a ketone was necessary to induce C–H functionalization selectivity in preference to C=C functionalization. The products were obtained in moderate to high yields (Scheme 67). 2.6 N–H and C(sp2)–H carboxylation The application of the [(IPr)CuOH] complex as catalyst for the N–H/C(sp2)–H

• effective. This method afforded the products with high selectivity and it could be extended to a variety of substrates, such as benzoxazole, benzothiazole, oxazole, and even acidic hydrocarbons and aniline. Fukuzama and co-workers [91] accomplished the C–H carboxylation of benzoxazole and benzothiazole

Synthesis of ether lipids: natural compounds and analogues

• Marco Antônio G. B. Gomes,
• Alicia Bauduin,
• Chloé Le Roux,
• Romain Fouinneteau,
• Wilfried Berthe,
• Mathieu Berchel,
• Hélène Couthon and
• Paul-Alain Jaffrès

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1299–1369, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.96

Organic thermally activated delayed fluorescence material with strained benzoguanidine donor

• Alexander C. Brannan,
• Elvie F. P. Beaumont,
• Nguyen Le Phuoc,
• George F. S. Whitehead,
• Mikko Linnolahti and
• Alexander S. Romanov

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1289–1298, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.95

• identical molecular peak ion and C, H, N values within acceptable deviation of 0.4%. The decomposition temperature (Td, corresponds to 5% weight loss) was measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicating excellent thermal stability for 4BGIPN with Td = 425 °C, which is similar to the benchmark

• to ride on their parent atoms with C–H = 0.95–1.00 Å, and Uiso = 1.2–1.5 Ueq (parent atom). All calculations were performed using the SHELXL software and Olex2 graphical user interface [22][23]. 4BGIPN (monoclinic P21), CCDC number 2243340, C60H32N14, monoclinic, space group P21 (no. 4), a = 17.4217

Non-noble metal-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenation coupling (CDC) involving ether α-C(sp³)–H to construct C–C bonds

• Hui Yu and
• Feng Xu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1259–1288, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.94

• become a major strategy for ether functionalization. This review covers C–H/C–H cross-coupling reactions of ether derivatives with various C–H bond substrates via non-noble metal catalysts (Fe, Cu, Co, Mn, Ni, Zn, Y, Sc, In, Ag). We discuss advances achieved in these CDC reactions and hope to attract

• overcome the shortcomings of the above coupling reactions, organic chemists have envisaged the construction of C–C bonds directly through C–H bond activation [5]. Fortunately, scientists have used various transition metals as catalysts to realize the activation of various types of C–H bonds, and have

• significantly different reactivity and chemical selectivity from noble metals (Ru, Rh, Pd). Compared with noble metals, copper catalysts are cheaper and easier to obtain, making Cu more advantageous for industrial applications of C–H functionalization reactions. The Glaser–Hay reaction may be one of the oldest

Radical ligand transfer: a general strategy for radical functionalization

• David T. Nemoto Jr,
• Kang-Jie Bian,
• Shih-Chieh Kao and
• Julian G. West

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1225–1233, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.90

• alkyl C–H bond to a high valent iron oxo species, resulting in formation of iron hydroxo and alkyl radical intermediates [15]. Subsequent RLT of the hydroxo ligand to the alkyl radical produces a hydroxylated product, allowing for metabolism and excretion of previously diverse bioactive compounds

• behavior of P450 oxygenases encouraged early work on site-selective C–H functionalization [20]. Throughout their studies, it was found that manganese could perform the same HAT and RLT steps as iron at heme active sites. Groves developed the manganese tetramesitylporphine catalyst V (Scheme 2), which was

• found to be capable of functionalizing specific C–H bonds to numerous functionalities, including C–F [21][22], C–N3 [23], and C–Cl bonds [24][25]. Upon these remarkable observations, methodologies involving manganese–porphyrin catalysts have been developed over the years. These methods take advantage of

Exploring the role of halogen bonding in iodonium ylides: insights into unexpected reactivity and reaction control

• Carlee A. Montgomery and
• Graham K. Murphy

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1171–1190, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.86

• 44, from which reductive elimination of iodobenzene would generate 40. In 2021, Sen and Gremaud disclosed a blue LED-mediated formal C–H insertion reaction between iodonium ylides (e.g., 31) and pyrroles (e.g., 45), indoles and furans, producing malonate-substituted heterocycles 46 (Scheme 9) [126

• ]. The authors discounted a free carbene-based C–H insertion because conducting the reaction in the presence of the radical trap phenyl N-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN) and the radical scavenger TEMPO resulted in decreased yields and isolation of their iodonium ylide adducts. Additional kinetic isotope effect

• iodobenzene then generated a strained, cyclopropane-fused bicycle 49 that rearranged into the isolated C–H insertion product 46a. In addition to Neiland’s disclosure of the reactions between iodonium ylides and hydrochloric acid (Scheme 1) [1][102], others have also reported that both strong acids (e.g., TsOH

Photoredox catalysis harvesting multiple photon or electrochemical energies

• Mattia Lepori,
• Simon Schmid and
• Joshua P. Barham

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1055–1145, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.81

• halides and the coupling products were obtained in good yields (52–74%) (Figure 4B). To suppress the rapid HAT with solvent DMF that yields the dehalogenated product, DMSO was chosen as solvent for the C–H arylation. When applying the catalytic protocol to 2-allyloxy-1,3,5-tribromobenzene, the 5-exo-trig

• for reductive dehalogenations (Figure 8A), C–H arylations and olefinations of aryl halides (Figure 8B) [51]. In addition to the classical conPET mechanism involving the formation of *AQN•−, the authors also confirmed formation of the semiquinone anion AQN-H− via formal addition of a hydrogen atom (e.g

• anion DCA•− generates *DCA•− as a super-reductant capable of reducing aryl bromides and chlorides [52]. Due to minimal overlap in the absorption spectral bands of DCA and DCA•−, a cold-white LED (λ = 410–700 nm) was used for polychromatic irradiation. The protocol for reductive C–H arylations with

Aromatic C–H bond functionalization through organocatalyzed asymmetric intermolecular aza-Friedel–Crafts reaction: a recent update

• Anup Biswas

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 956–981, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.72

• stereoselectivity is also explained. Keywords: asymmetric; aza-Friedel–Crafts reaction; H-bonding; organocatalysis; stereoselectivity; Introduction The ease of a chemical transformation depends on the thermodynamic instability of a chemical bond owing to its fast cleavage under mild reaction conditions. A C–H

• bond is thermodynamically stable and possesses a high bond dissociation energy opposing the bond to easy chemical transformation. Therefore, harsh reaction conditions and the necessity of an external activator like catalysts are common prerequisites for processes involving C–H bond breaking. Among

• different types of C–H bonds, an aromatic C–H bond is even more inert rendering this type of bond functionalization more difficult. Herewith the term “bond functionalization” is defined as the cleavage of an existing bond with substitution by another bond. Aromatic C–H bond functionalizations have gained

Photoredox catalysis enabling decarboxylative radical cyclization of γ,γ-dimethylallyltryptophan (DMAT) derivatives: formal synthesis of 6,7-secoagroclavine

• Alessio Regni,
• Francesca Bartoccini and
• Giovanni Piersanti

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 918–927, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.70

• Hz, 1H)], strongly indicating that this product is not the desired structure 6’ but the eight-membered cycloalkene structure 6, shown in Scheme 2. Based on these results and previous reports on the benzylic and allylic C–H bond functionalization enabled by metallaphotoredox catalysis [86], we propose

• a tentative mechanism (Figure 2). First, the radical cation I was generated via the oxidation of indole 5 by the excited Ir-based photocatalyst, followed by sequential regioselective proton transfer on the benzylic dimethylallyl unit C–H bond of the C4 side-chain, thereby generating II. Here, the

Pyridine C(sp²)–H bond functionalization under transition-metal and rare earth metal catalysis

• Haritha Sindhe,
• Malladi Mounika Reddy,
• Karthikeyan Rajkumar,
• Akshay Kamble,
• Amardeep Singh,
• Anand Kumar and
• Satyasheel Sharma

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 820–863, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.62

• of several methods for the synthesis of functionalized pyridines or their integration into an organic molecule, new methodologies for the direct functionalization of pyridine scaffolds have been developed during the past two decades. In addition, transition-metal-catalyzed C–H functionalization and

• rare earth metal-catalyzed reactions have flourished over the past two decades in the development of functionalized organic molecules of concern. In this review, we discuss recent achievements in the transition-metal and rare earth metal-catalyzed C–H bond functionalization of pyridine and look into

• the mechanisms involved. Keywords: C–H functionalization; heterocycles; pyridine; rare earth metal; transition-metal-catalyzed; Introduction Pyridine, one of the most important azaheterocyclic scaffolds, is found in a diverse range of bioactive natural products, pharmaceuticals, and functional

Eschenmoser coupling reactions starting from primary thioamides. When do they work and when not?

• Lukáš Marek,
• Jiří Váňa,
• Jan Svoboda and
• Jiří Hanusek

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 808–819, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.61

• leaving aniline moiety, prefers cyclization to give 13 (Scheme 6). Another key factor for successful ECR concerns the acidity of C–H in particular α-thioiminium salts 6a,b, 10a,b, 12a, 15 (pKaC) or the ease of proton transfer between the carbon and nitrogen in imidothioate followed by formation of the

• acidifying effect as compared to C(CH3)2) and the effect of ring strain [35][36] (C–H in the 5-membered α-thioiminium salt 15 is more acidic than in the 6-membered salts 6a,b or non-cyclic salts 12b). The subsequent formation of the thiirane ring through TS2 (which is strongly entropically favored although

Sulfate radical anion-induced benzylic oxidation of N-(arylsulfonyl)benzylamines to N-arylsulfonylimines

• Joydev K. Laha,
• Pankaj Gupta and
• Amitava Hazra

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 771–777, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.57

• reactions, and C–H functionalizations ([3] and references therein), leading to the synthesis of diverse nitrogen heterocycles of pharmaceutical relevance [4]. The traditional synthetic method for the preparation of N-arylsulfonylimines, similar to the preparation of N-arylimines, is based on the

Strategies in the synthesis of dibenzo[b,f]heteropines

• David I. H. Maier,
• Barend C. B. Bezuidenhoudt and
• Charlene Marais

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 700–718, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.51

• the enol carboxylate and subsequent 1,2 radical rearrangement and decarboxylation. Moderate to good yields of dibenzo[b,f]oxepine carboxylates 25 were achieved (63–85%). Stopka et al. [46] reported on tandem C–H functionalisation and ring expansion as an alternative to the Wagner–Meerwin rearrangement

• )malonates 24. Ring expansion via C–H functionalisation. The synthesis of fluorinated 5H-dibenzo[b,f]azepine 38 from isatin (32). The synthesis of substituted dibenzo[b,f]azepines 43 from indoles 39. Retrosynthetic pathways to dibenzo[b,f]azepines via Buchwald–Hartwig amination. Synthesis of dibenzo[b,f

Photocatalytic sequential C–H functionalization expediting acetoxymalonylation of imidazo heterocycles

• Deepak Singh,
• Shyamal Pramanik and
• Soumitra Maity

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 666–673, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.48

• from academia and industry. Herein, we report a direct C-3 acetoxymalonylation of imidazo heterocycles using relay C–H functionalization enabled by organophotocatalysis starring zinc acetate in the triple role of an activator, ion scavenger as well as an acetylating reagent. The mechanistic

• investigation revealed a sequential sp2 and sp3 C–H activation, followed by functionalization driven by zinc acetate coupled with the photocatalyst PTH. A variety of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines and related heterocycles were explored as substrates along with several active methylene reagents, all generating the

• products with excellent yields and regioselectivity, thus confirming excellent functional group tolerability. Keywords: C–H functionalization; imidazo heterocycles; photoredox; regioselective; relay catalysis; Introduction Among all N-fused heterocycles, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines (IPs) are the prevalent

Enolates ambushed – asymmetric tandem conjugate addition and subsequent enolate trapping with conventional and less traditional electrophiles

• Péter Kisszékelyi and
• Radovan Šebesta

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 593–634, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.44

• . These transformations combine several reactions into a sequence that uses functionalities generated in previous steps without isolating intermediates [1]. Stabilized carbon-based nucleophiles, or in other words, conjugate bases of weak C–H acids, are termed enolates, and they participate in a large

• functional group tolerance with excellent stereoselectivities. In 2016, Ellman and co-workers demonstrated a Rh- or Co-catalyzed highly diastereoselective tandem C–H bond addition/aldol reaction sequence [96][97]. The C–H activation was promoted by pyridine, pyrazole, or imine directing groups, while the

• aldol addition step was performed either in a two-component (intramolecular aldol) or a three-component (intermolecular aldol) arrangement. The enantioselective implementation of this methodology was realized by Herraiz and Cramer in 2021 (Scheme 53) [98]. The reaction sequence is initiated by the C–H

C3-Alkylation of furfural derivatives by continuous flow homogeneous catalysis

• Grédy Kiala Kinkutu,
• Catherine Louis,
• Myriam Roy,
• Juliette Blanchard and
• Julie Oble

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 582–592, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.43

• formation of the imine directing group and the C3-functionalization with some vinylsilanes and norbonene. Keywords: biomass; C–H activation; flow; furfural; homogeneous catalysis; Introduction The conversion of biomass derivatives into value-added products is one of the key branches of green chemistry and

• furfural derivatives have been developed. In particular, their direct functionalization by transition-metal-catalyzed C–H activation processes [16][17][18] has become a major area of interest where only a few methods have been reported so far. Most examples concern functionalization at C5, which is the

• synthesis has increased dramatically and has rapidly become a routine tool for classical synthesis [26][27][28][29]. In particular, many efforts have been devoted to the development of flow alternatives for transition-metal-catalyzed cross-couplings [30] and for some C–H functionalizations [31

Direct C2–H alkylation of indoles driven by the photochemical activity of halogen-bonded complexes

• Martina Mamone,
• Giuseppe Gentile,
• Jacopo Dosso,
• Maurizio Prato and
• Giacomo Filippini

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 575–581, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.42

• ). Mechanistic investigations are reported. These studies provide convincing evidences for the photochemical formation of reactive open-shell species. Keywords: alkylation; EDA complex; halogens; indoles; photochemistry; Findings Direct replacement of carbon–hydrogen (C–H) bonds with new carbon–carbon (C–C

• tool to guide the development of greener and more convenient synthetic protocols [7][8][9][10][11][12]. In this context, photochemical approaches based on electron donor–acceptor (EDA) complexes have been successfully exploited to drive the direct C–H functionalization of a large number of organic

• -carboxaldehyde (1g) was not a suitable substrate for this transformation. Conclusion In conclusion, we reported a novel photochemical method for the direct C–H alkylation of indoles with α-iodosulfones. This approach exploits the photochemical activity of halogen-bonded EDA complexes, formed between α

A new oxidatively stable ligand for the chiral functionalization of amino acids in Ni(II)–Schiff base complexes

• Alena V. Dmitrieva,
• Oleg A. Levitskiy,
• Yuri K. Grishin and
• Tatiana V. Magdesieva

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 566–574, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.41

• )) and includes a chiral auxiliary, an amino acid, and a bifunctional linker capable to arrange the components in the Schiff base complex. Such templates provide a significant C–H acidity at the α-amino acid carbon and a possibility for recycling of the chiral auxiliaries (for reviews see [5][14][15][16

Transition-metal-catalyzed domino reactions of strained bicyclic alkenes

• Austin Pounder,
• Eric Neufeld,
• Peter Myler and
• William Tam

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 487–540, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.38

• proceeds similarly to Nakamura’s Fe-catalyzed methodology (Scheme 13) [48]. In 2017, the Cheng laboratory investigated the Co-catalyzed ring-opening/dehydration of oxabicyclic alkenes via the C–H activation of arenes (Scheme 15) [50]. First, the group explored the ortho-naphthylation of N-pyrimidinylindole

• the Lewis acid cocatalyst AgSbF6 was removed from the reaction mixture, it was noted only ring-opened 1,2-hydroxy adducts were formed, so it is likely the Lewis acid is required for dehydration. In contrast, when N-pyrimidinylbenzimidazole derivatives were used, the 1,2-C–H addition product was

• -catalyzed [3 + 2] annulation/ring-opening/dehydration domino reaction of oxabicyclic alkenes 30 with 2-(1-methylhydrazinyl)pyridine (MHP) directed arenes 87 for the synthesis of benzo[b]fluorenones 88 (Scheme 16) [52]. C–H bond functionalization with heterobicyclic alkenes as annulation partners has

Transition-metal-catalyzed C–H bond activation as a sustainable strategy for the synthesis of fluorinated molecules: an overview

• Louis Monsigny,
• Floriane Doche and
• Tatiana Besset

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 448–473, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.35

• functionalization of C(sp2) and C(sp3) centers with SCF3, SeCF3, or OCH2CF3 groups among others, by C–H bond activation. The scope and limitations of these transformations are discussed in this review. Keywords: C–H bond activation; emergent fluorinated groups; homogeneous catalysis; organofluorine chemistry

• [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Among them [2][5][12][13][14][15][16][17][18], the direct functionalization of a simple C–H bond by transition-metal catalysis [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] became an important tool offering new

• retrosynthetic disconnections. In this context, a strong interest from the scientific community was shown towards the challenging synthesis of fluorinated molecules by transition-metal-catalyzed C–H bond activation [44][45][46][47][48][49][50], allowing the functionalization of complex molecules and even for