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Updated: Jun 27, 2025

A Microwave-Assisted Direct Heteroarylation of Ketones Using Transition Metal Catalysis
Published on: February 16, 2020
Rhodium-Catalyzed Direct ortho-Arylation of Anilines
Clément Jacob1,2, Julien Annibaletto1, Ju Peng3
1Laboratoire de Chimie Organique, Service de Chimie et PhysicoChimie Organiques, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue F. D. Roosevelt 50, CP 160/06, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract:
An efficient and broadly applicable rhodium-catalyzed direct ortho-arylation of anilines with aryl iodides relying on readily available aminophosphines as traceless directing groups is reported. Its scope and functional group compatibility were both found to be quite broad as a large variety of both aminophosphines and (hetero)aryl iodides, including complex ones, could be utilized. The ortho-arylated anilines could be obtained in high average yields, without any competing diarylation and with full regioselectivity, which constitutes a major step forward compared to other processes. The reaction is moreover not limited to aryl iodides, as an aryl bromide and a triflate could be successfully used, and could be extended to diarylation. Mechanistic studies revealed the key and unique role of the aminophosphine, acting not only as a substrate but also as a ligand for the rhodium catalyst.
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