title: Autocatalytic intermolecular versus intramolecular deprotonation in C-H bond activation of functionalized arenes by ruthenium(II) or palladium(II) complexes.
abstract: The activation of the C-H bond of 1-phenylpyrazole (2) and 2-phenyl-2-oxazoline (3) by [Ru(OAc)2(p-cymene)] is an autocatalytic process catalyzed by the co-product HOAc. The reactions are indeed faster in the presence of acetic acid and water but slower in the presence of a base K2CO3. A reactivity order is established in the absence of additives: 2-phenylpyridine>2-phenyl-2-oxazoline>1-phenylpyrazole (at RT). The accelerating effect of added acetate ions reveals an intermolecular deprotonation after C-H bond activation by a cationic Ru(II) center (SE 3 mechanism). The reactions of 1-phenylpyrazole and 2-phenyl-2-oxazoline first lead to the neutral cyclometalated complexes A2 and A3 ligated by one acetate. The latter dissociate to the cationic complexes B2(+) and B3(+), respectively, and acetate. A slow incorporation of one or two D atoms into 2, 3, and 2-phenylpyridine (1) was observed in the presence of deuterated acetic acid. The "reversibility" of the C-H bond activation/deprotonation takes place from the cationic complexes Bn(+) (n=1-3). They are also involved in oxidative additions to PhI, which are rate-determining and lead to the mono- and bis-phenylated products at high temperatures. A general mechanism is proposed for the arylation of arenes 1-3 catalyzed by [Ru(OAc)2(p-cymene)]. In contrast, the reaction of Pd(OAc)2 with 2-phenylpyridine (1), is much faster: Pd(OAc)2>[Ru(OAc)2(p-cymene)]. Since the kinetics is not affected by added acetates, the reaction proceeds through a CMD mechanism assisted by a ligated acetate (intramolecular process) and is irreversible. A bis-cyclometalated Pd(II)^Pd(II) dimer D'1 is formed whose bielectronic electrochemical oxidation leads to a [Pd(III)^Pd(III)](2+) dimer, in agreement with the result of a reported chemical oxidation used in arene functionalizations catalyzed by Pd(OAc)2.
authors.affiliation: Ecole Normale Supérieure, Département de Chimie, UMR CNRS-ENS-UPMC 8640, 24 rue Lhomond, 75231 Paris Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Indira
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fabre
authors.forename: Niklas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: von Wolff
authors.forename: Gaëtan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Duc
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrer Flegeau
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bruneau
authors.forename: Pierre H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Dixneuf
authors.forename: Anny
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jutand