Cobalt-Nitrenoid Insertion-Mediated Amidative Carbon Rearrangement via Alkyl-Walking on Arenes

J Am Chem Soc. 2021 Nov 10;143(44):18406-18412. doi: 10.1021/jacs.1c10138. Epub 2021 Oct 29.

Abstract

We herein disclose the Cp*Co(III)(LX)-catalyzed amidative alkyl migration using 2,6-disubstituted phenyl azidoformates. Upon the cobalt-nitrenoid insertion toward the substituted ortho carbon, an arenium cationic species bearing a quaternary carbon is generated, and a subsequent alkyl migration process is suggested to occur through an unforeseen alkyl-walking mechanism. A quinolinol ligand of the cobalt catalyst system is proposed to facilitate the final product-releasing rearomatization process by serving as an internal base. This new mechanistic mode enabled both [1,2]- and [1,4]-alkyl rearrangements to allow the structural variation of N-heterocyclic compounds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't