Direct arylation catalysis with chloro[8-(dimesitylboryl)quinoline-κN]copper(I)

Abstract

We report direct arylation of arylhalides with unactivated sp2 C-H bonds in benzene and naphthalene using a copper(I) catalyst featuring an ambiphilic ligand, (quinolin-8-yl)dimesitylborane. Direct arylation could be achieved with 0.2 mol % catalyst and 3 equivalents of base (KO(t-Bu)) at 80 °C to afford TON ≈160-190 over 40 hours.