Fe-catalyzed double cross-dehydrogenative coupling of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and arylmethanes

Org Lett. 2015 Feb 6;17(3):548-51. doi: 10.1021/ol503556x. Epub 2015 Jan 21.

Abstract

Fe-catalyzed tandem cross-dehydrogenative coupling of the methyl group in arylmethanes with 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds has been developed. The reaction affords one new C(sp(3))-C(sp(2)) bond and one new C(sp(3))-C(sp(3)) bond in a one-pot protocol. Further study suggests that this reaction might start with a Friedel-Crafts-type reaction (cross-dehydrogenative arylation) followed by cross-dehydrogenative coupling with an activated methylene group under mild oxidative conditions.