Base- and Additive-Free Ir-Catalyzed ortho-Iodination of Benzoic Acids: Scope and Mechanistic Investigations

A protocol for the C-H activation/iodination of benzoic acids catalyzed by a simple iridium complex has been developed. The method described in this paper allows the ortho-selective iodination of a variety of benzoic acids under extraordinarily mild conditions in the absence of any additive or base in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol as the solvent. The iridium catalyst used tolerates air and moisture, and selectively gives ortho-iodobenzoic acids with high conversions. Mechanistic investigations revealed that an Ir(III)/Ir(V) catalytic cycle operates, and that the unique properties of HFIP enables the C-H iodination using the carboxylic moiety as a directing group.