One Substrate, Two Modes of C-H Functionalization: A Metal-Controlled Site-Selectivity Switch in C-H Arylation Reactions.

A unique site-selectivity switch has been achieved in the ruthenium-catalyzed C-H arylation reaction of N-acetyl-1,2-dihydroisoquinolines. This metal-mediated switch is antipodal to the previous report on the palladium-mediated C-4 C-H arylation on the same substrate. Mechanistic details reveal interesting aspects of the reaction pathway, and kinetic studies bring out the difference in the modes of C-H activation adopted by the two catalytic systems.