Benzoate Cyclometalation Enables Oxidative Addition of Haloarenes at a Ru(II) Center.

ABSTRACT: The first Ru(II)-catalyzed arylation of substrates without a directing group was recently developed. Remarkably, this process only worked in the presence of a benzoate additive, found to be crucial for the oxidative addition step at Ru(II). However, the exact mode of action of the benzoate was unknown. Herein, we disclose a mechanistic study that elucidates the key role of the benzoate salt in the C-H arylation of fluoroarenes with aryl halides. Through a combination of rationally designed stoichiometric experiments and DFT studies, we demonstrate that the aryl-Ru(II) species arising from initial C-H activation of the fluoroarene undergoes cyclometalation with the benzoate to generate an anionic Ru(II) intermediate. The enhanced lability of this intermediate, coupled with the electron-rich

SUBMITTER: Simonetti M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6192667 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature