Te(II)-Catalyzed Cross-Dehydrogenative Phenothiazination of Anilines

Oxidative clicklike reactions are useful for the late-stage functionalization of pharmaceuticals and organic materials. Hence, novel methodologies that enable such transformations are in high demand. Herein we describe a tellurium(II)-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative phenothiazination (CDP) of aromatic amines. A key feature of this method is a cooperative effect between the phenotellurazine catalyst and the silver salt, which serves as a chemical oxidant for the reaction. This novel catalysis concept therefore enables a considerably broader scope compared with previous chemical oxidation methods.

Automated summary

Oxidative clicklike reactions are important for late-stage functionalization of pharmaceuticals and organic materials. The tellurium(II)-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative phenothiazination described in this article benefits from a cooperative effect between the catalyst and silver salt, enabling a considerably broader scope compared to previous methods.