Angewandte
Communications
Chemie
ꢀ
C H Activation
ꢀ
Cobalt-Catalyzed Coupling of Benzoic Acid C H Bonds with Alkynes,
Styrenes, and 1,3-Dienes
Abstract: A method for cobalt-catalyzed, carboxylate-directed
ꢀ
functionalization of arene C H bonds is reported. Alkynes,
styrenes, and 1,3-dienes can be coupled with benzoic acids to
provide cyclic products in good yields. The reactions proceed
in the presence of a cobalt(II) hexafluoroacetylacetonate
catalyst, (TMS)2NH base, Ce(SO4)2 cooxidant, and oxygen
oxidant.
ꢀ
T
ransition-metal-catalyzed C H functionalization has been
extensively used in the syntheses of bioactive molecules and
functional materials.[1] Most methods involve the use of
directing groups to ensure regioselective conversion of
ꢀ
Scheme 1. Carboxylic acid C H bond functionalization. 1!2: Pd for
3
2
ꢀ
ꢀ
sp C H; Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru for sp C H bonds, many examples; Fe, Co,
2
3
ꢀ
two examples, limited scope. 1!3!4!2: sp and sp C H; Cu, Fe,
ꢀ
a specific C H bond to give the desired product. In contrast,
Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd; many examples.
ꢀ
non-directed C H functionalization is often limited to
symmetric substrates owing to potential formation of isomer
mixtures. The functionalization can be directed by a number
of common groups, including amines, carboxylates, and
aldehydes.[2] Alternatively, more efficient directing groups
can be installed in one or more synthetic transformations,
since most common functionalities are relatively inefficient in
substantially more available than second- and third-row
transition metals. Only two catalytic methods for carboxyl-
ate-directed sp2 C H bond functionalization mediated by
ꢀ
first-row transition metals have been reported.[5] These
examples present a very significant breakthrough in catalysis.
However, this method requires the use of highly pyrphoric
AlMe3 in combination with a designer ligand for Fe cata-
lysis,[5a] and a limited range of internal alkynes can be
employed in cobalt-catalyzed couplings to afford regioiso-
meric product mixtures.[5b]
ꢀ
promoting C H activation/functionalization. For example, we
and other groups have shown that upon converting carbox-
ylates to aminoquinoline amides, functionalization of sp2 and
sp3 C H bonds can be accomplished under palladium,
ꢀ
rhodium, ruthenium, iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper catalysis
(Scheme 1, 1!3!4!2).[1j,3] Very general reactivity is
observed, thereby enabling arylation, alkylation, fluorination,
sulfenylation, amination, etherification, carbonylation, and
alkenylation of carbon–hydrogen bonds. In contrast, more
Several research groups have reported examples of both
2
ꢀ
low- and high-valent-cobalt catalysis for coupling sp C H
bonds with alkenes and alkynes.[3d–g,6] Specifically, an early
report by Matsunaga and Kanai describes a pentamethylcy-
clopentadienyl (Cp*) cobalt (III) complex as a catalyst for the
ꢀ
weakly coordinating carboxylate groups can direct C H
2
ꢀ
functionalization of sp C H bonds under palladium, iridium,
alkenylation of N-protected indoles to yield pyrrolodindo-
ruthenium, platinum, and rhodium catalysis (1!2).[4] More
lones.[6e] Coupling of alkynes with sp C H bonds in anilides,
2
ꢀ
3
challenging unactivated sp C H bonds in carboxylic acids
esters, and oximes is feasible.[6e–i] Our group has disclosed
ꢀ
can be functionalized under palladium catalysis, with the first
arylation reported by the Yu group in 2007.[4b] It would be
beneficial to employ first-row transition-metal catalysis in
cobalt-catalyzed, aminoquinoline-directed coupling of
2
ꢀ
alkenes, alkynes, and carbon monoxide with sp C H bonds
by employing oxygen as a terminal oxidant.[3d–f] We report
here a general method for cobalt-catalyzed, carboxylate-
ꢀ
carboxylic acid C H bond functionalization for the following
ꢀ
reasons. First, a large variety of starting materials possessing
carboxylate functionality are commercially available or can
be easily prepared, thus shortening the synthetic schemes
since installation and removal (often under harsh conditions)
of the directing group is not required. Second, base metals are
directed functionalization of ortho-C H bonds in benzoic
acids. Alkynes, styrenes, and 1,3-dienes react to afford cyclic
products with excellent regioselectivity.
Reaction optimization was carried out by coupling 1-
hexyne with p-toluic acid (Table 1). The best results were
obtained when (TMS)2NH base, Ce(SO4)2 cooxidant, and
pivalic acid additive were used in trifluoroethanol, affording
78% yield of the cyclic product (entry 1). The pivalic acid
additive is important to increase conversion (entry 2). Other
hindered carboxylic acid additives gave lower yields of
product (entries 3–4). Reaction in hexafluoroisopropanol is
less efficient (entry 5). When a p-toluic acid sodium salt was
used, a lower yield of 6 was obtained (entry 6). Other silyl-
[*] T. T. Nguyen, Dr. L. Grigorjeva, Prof. Dr. O. Daugulis
Department of Chemistry, University of Houston
Houston, TX 77204-5003 (USA)
E-mail: olafs@uh.edu
Supporting information and the ORCID identification number(s) for
the author(s) of this article can be found under:
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 1 – 5
ꢀ 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
1
These are not the final page numbers!