Mechanistic study of a switch in the regioselectivity of hydroheteroarylation of styrene catalyzed by bimetallic Ni-Al through C-H activation.

We previously reported a highly efficient protocol for bimetallic Ni-Al-catalyzed hydroheteroarylation of styrene with benzimidazole based on C-H bond activation. We have now delineated the mechanism of this process, providing a rationale for an observed switch in regioselectivity in the presence of the Lewis acid, AlMe3. The present mechanistic study gives insights for the rational development of catalysts that exhibit required linear/branched selectivity.

Nickel-catalysed para-CH activation of pyridine with switchable regioselective hydroheteroarylation of allylarenes.

para-CH activation of pyridine with allylbenzene is described by Ni/Al cooperative catalysis in combination with a bulkier NHC ligand and a Lewis acid, leading to linear hydroheteroarylation products. Interestingly, the branch selectivity can be achieved by using the combination of a less sterically hindered amino-NHC ligand and AlMe3 through tandem reaction of facile alkene isomerization followed by a slow CH bond activation process.

Controlled regiodivergent C-H bond activation of imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine via synergistic cooperation between aluminum and nickel.

The catalytic method features a cooperative interaction between Ni and Al imparting remote C-H alkenylation at the C5 position of imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine with alkynes at mild conditions. Exclusion of AlMe3 switches the selectivity to the C3 position. Reactions with styrene and other olefinic substrates affording C5-adducts by Ni/Al catalysis are also included.

Synthesis of a guanidine NHC complex and its application in borylation reactions.

Synthesis of guanidine-linked NHC can be achieved easily through reacting amino-NHC with carbodiimide. Subsequently, guanidine-NHC Ag and Cu complexes were isolated and fully characterized. These Cu complexes are found to be versatile catalysts for hydroboration, semihydrogenation and carboboration of alkynes in a highly stereo- and regioselective fashion.

The regioselective switch for amino-NHC mediated C-H activation of benzimidazole via Ni-Al synergistic catalysis.

We have disclosed a new mode of a chemically regioselective switch for C-H bond functionalization of benzimidazole derivatives via a cooperative effect invoked by Ni-Al bimetallic catalysis to create a steric requirement for obtaining the linear product of styrene insertion. Yet, excluding the AlMe(3) cocatalyst switches the reaction toward branch selectivity.

Ruthenium-catalyzed oxidation of a carbon-carbon triple bond: facile syntheses of alkenyl 1,2-diketones from alkynes.

A new oxidation procedure of alkynes catalyzed by Tp(PPh(3))(CH(3)CN)Ru-Cl is presented, which provides an efficient way to obtain alkenyl 1,2-diketones via ruthenium alkenyl 1,2-diketone intermediates. In contrast, the analogous reactions with Tp(PPh(3))(PhCN)Ru-Cl gave rise to the ruthenium metallacycle complexes.