Copper(I) enolate complexes in α-arylation reactions: Synthesis, reactivity, and mechanism

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/anie.201106719

Copper is all bound up: The copper-catalyzed α-arylation of carbonyl compounds occurs through oxidative addition of iodoarenes to the C-bound Cu ^I enolate species 1 to form an aryl-Cu^III intermediate (see scheme). Computational results provide insight into the origins of the relative reactivity of various Cu^I enolate complexes in the reactions with iodoarenes. Copyright