Palladium-Catalyzed Dehydrogenative C-2 Alkenylation of 5-Arylimidazoles and Related Azoles with Styrenes

The construction of carbon-carbon bonds by direct involvement of two unactivated carbon-hydrogen bonds, without any directing group, ensures a high atom economy of the entire process. Here, we describe a simple protocol for the Pd(II)/Cu(II)-promoted intermolecular cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) of 5-arylimidazoles, benzimidazoles, benzoxazole and 4,5-diphenylimidazole at their C-2 position with functionalized styrenes. This specific CDC, known as the Fujiwara-Moritani reaction or oxidative Heck coupling, also allowed the C-4 alkenylation of the imidazole nucleus when both 2 and 5 positions were occupied.

Automated summary

The study presents a simple protocol for the Pd(II)/Cu(II)-promoted intermolecular cross-dehydrogenative coupling without the need for directing groups, allowing the formation of carbon-carbon bonds by direct involvement of unactivated carbon-hydrogen bonds. This method demonstrates high efficiency in carbon-carbon bond formation, contributing to a high atom economy.