A macrocyclic aromatic pyridone pentamer was shown to catalyze highly efficient transition-metal-free arylations of unactivated aromatic C-H bonds with aryl iodides and bromides in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide.

Inexpensive nickel-bipyridine complexes were found to be active for the trifluoromethylthiolation of aryl iodides and aryl bromides at room temperature using the convenient [NMe(4)][SCF(3)] reagent.

An efficient procedure for 2-aroylbenzofuran preparation from 2-bromophenols, phenacyl bromides and paraformaldehyde is described. The cheap and stable paraformaldehyde served as the carbon source via an in situ formylation reaction.

Iron and copper complexes cooperatively catalyzed the arylmagnesiation of unfunctionalized alkynes including dialkylacetylenes, where the presence of both iron and copper catalysts is essential for high yields of 2-aryl-1-alkenylmagnesium bromides.

The mixed catalyst system, Pd(CH3CN)2Cl2/P(t-Bu)3/[Ru(2,2'-bipyridine)3].2PF6, promotes the copper-free Sonogashira coupling reaction of aryl bromides at room temperature under irradiation of visible light.

The novel palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative cross-coupling reactions of 2-picolinic acid with aryl and heteroaryl bromides including benzenes, naphthalenes, pyridines and quinolines for C-C bond formation have been successfully achieved.

The consecutive radical/ionic reaction consisting of radical formylation of alkyl bromides and nucleophilic addition of a cyanide ion was investigated, which gave moderate to good yields of cyanohydrin derivatives in one-pot.

The palladium-catalyzed trifluoromethylation of aryl bromides has been achieved in micellar media. The micellar conditions result in enhanced yields and are applicable to bromoaromatics with ketone, aldehyde, hydroxyl and amine functionalities.

An improved synthesis of 1-O-acyl glucosyl esters that avoids the use of expensive Ag reagents as well as the hydrolysis of unstable glucosyl bromides is reported. Notably, β-configuration products were obtained exclusively in good yields.

In drug discovery, the proportion of aliphatic carbons (C(sp3)) and presence chiral in organic molecules are positively correlated to their chance clinical success. Although methods exist for synthesis C(sp3)-rich molecules, they often limited scope, have poor modularity or unsuitable stereoselective using racemic reagents. The stereocontrol vicinal C(sp3) centres is a particular challenge. Her...