Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Triarylbismuthines by Functional Group Manipulation and Use in Palladium- and Copper-Catalyzed Arylation Reactions.

Organobismuthines are an attractive class of organometallic reagents that can be accessed from inexpensive and nontoxic bismuth salts. Triarylbismuthines are particularly interesting due to their air and moisture stability and high functional group tolerance. We report herein a detailed study on the preparation of highly functionalized triarylbismuth reagents by triple functional group manipulation and their use in palladium- and copper-catalyzed C-, N-, and O-arylation reactions.

Unsymmetrical Diarylmethanes by Ferroceniumboronic Acid Catalyzed Direct Friedel-Crafts Reactions with Deactivated Benzylic Alcohols: Enhanced Reactivity due to Ion-Pairing Effects.

The development of general and more atom-economical catalytic processes for Friedel-Crafts alkylations of unactivated arenes is an important objective of interest for the production of pharmaceuticals and commodity chemicals. Ferroceniumboronic acid hexafluoroantimonate salt (1) was identified as a superior air- and moisture-tolerant catalyst for direct Friedel-Crafts alkylations of a variety of slightly activated and neutral arenes with stable and readily available primary and secondary benzylic alcohols. Compared to the use of classical metal-catalyzed alkylations with toxic benzylic halides, this methodology employs exceptionally mild conditions to provide a wide variety of unsymmetrical diarylmethanes and other 1,1-diarylalkane products in high yield with good to high regioselectivity.

Copper-catalyzed O-arylation of N-protected 1,2-aminoalcohols using functionalized trivalent organobismuth reagents.

The O-arylation of 1,2-aminoalcohols using functionalized triarylbismuth reagents is reported. The reaction can be performed using substoichiometric amounts of copper acetate and operates under mild conditions. Good functional group tolerance is observed, giving access to a range of β-aryloxyamines.