Novel Base-Free Oxidative Heck Reaction

Abstract

In this work, a novel catalytic system for a base-free oxidative Heck reaction is described. With the bis-imine acenaphthenequinone ligand, even sensitive Heck acceptors such as ­aldehydes could be selectively arylated with dioxygen as oxidant. The steric bulk of the ligand suppresses biaryl formation and the reaction thus proceeds smoothly at room temperature with ­dioxygen as the oxidant.