Copper-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) of Alkynes and Benzylic C-H bonds

Abstract

The activation of benzylic C-H bonds and subsequent coupling with terminal alkynes in the presence of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanoquinone (DDQ) and a catalytic amount of copper(I) triflate is presented. Good to moderate yields of disubstituted alkynes are obtained for this cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction between a variety of aromatic alkynes and diphenylmethane derivatives. © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.