title: Atom-efficient regioselective 1,2-dearomatization of functionalized pyridines by an earth-abundant organolanthanide catalyst.
abstract: Developing earth-abundant, non-platinum metal catalysts for high-value chemical transformations is a critical challenge to contemporary chemical synthesis. Dearomatization of pyridine derivatives is an important transformation to access a wide range of valuable nitrogenous natural products, pharmaceuticals and materials. Here, we report an efficient 1,2-regioselective organolanthanide-catalysed pyridine dearomatization process using pinacolborane, which is compatible with a broad range of pyridines and functional groups and employs equimolar reagent stoichiometry. Regarding the mechanism, derivation of the rate law from NMR spectroscopic and kinetic measurements suggests first order in catalyst concentration, fractional order in pyridine concentration and inverse first order in pinacolborane concentration, with C=N insertion into the La-H bond as turnover-determining. An energetic span analysis affords a more detailed understanding of experimental activity trends and the unusual kinetic behaviour, and proposes the catalyst 'resting' state and potential deactivation pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dudnik
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA.
authors.forename: Victoria L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Weidner
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania and INSTM, UdR Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delferro
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA.
authors.forename: Tobin J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Marks