Regioselective Ortho-Arylation and Alkenylation of N-Alkyl Benzamides with Boronic Acids via Ruthenium-Catalyzed C-H Bond Activation: An Easy Route to Fluorenones Synthesis

A highly regioselective ruthenium-catalyzed ortho-arylation of substituted N-alkyl benzamides with aromatic boronic acids in the presence of [{RuCl2(p-cymene)}2], AgSbF6, and Ag2O is described. Further, ortho-arylated N-alkyl benzamides were converted into fluorenones in the presence of trifluoroacetic anhydride and HCl.