Pd-catalysed C-H bond functionalisation route to 1,2-dihydroferroceno[]isoquinoline and its annellated derivatives and the reactivity of these compounds.

C-H bond functionalisation has developed into a powerful synthetic methodology that is applicable to a wide array of substrates, including organometallic compounds. In this study, racemic, planar-chiral 1,2-dihydroferroceno[]isoquinoline and analogous helical compounds with one or two additional -fused benzene rings were synthesised by palladium-catalysed C-H bond activation/cyclisation of -[(bromoaryl)methyl]--(methylsulfonyl)aminoferrocenes. These starting materials are readily accessible from FcNHSOMe (Fc = ferrocenyl) and appropriate vicinal bromo-(bromomethyl)arenes.