title: Ruthenium(II)-catalyzed C-H alkenylations of phenols with removable directing groups.
abstract: Cationic ruthenium(II) complexes enabled oxidative alkenylations of phenols bearing easily cleavable directing groups. The optimized catalytic system allowed twofold CH bond activations with excellent chemo-, site-, and diastereoselectivities. The double CH functionalization process proceeded efficiently in an aerobic fashion under an atmosphere of ambient air. Detailed mechanistic studies were performed and provided strong support for an initial reversible CH bond activation by the formation of six-membered ruthenacycles as the key intermediates.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie, Georg-August-Universität, Tammannstrasse 2, 37077 Göttingen (Germany), Fax: (+49) 551-39-6777.
authors.forename: Wenbo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ackermann
keywords: CH activation; alkenylation; catalysis; cross-dehydrogenative coupling; reaction mechanisms; ruthenium