METACYL · Catalytic META C-H ACYLation of arenes

Catalytic META C-H ACYLation of arenes

The ability to transform inert C–H bonds into reactive functional groups has become central of the modern synthetic chemistry. This approach can provide simplification of synthetic routes, new disconnections, and new synthetic starting points by avoiding pre-installed reactive handles. In this direction, the site-selective C-H activation and functionalization of aromatic arenes constitutes a challenge of paramount importance in organic synthesis. The use of suitable directing groups together with transition metal-catalysts has enabled the activation of ortho C–H bonds of aromatic rings in multiple versions. Moreover, if ortho- and para-substitution of aromatic arenes have been quite thoroughly explored by the aid of classical organic synthetic reactions, activation of the meta-position in an arene system remain challenging and, at the same time, essential since this allows the direct green synthesis of several natural products, medicinal drugs and agrochemicals. On the other hand, C-H acylation reactions represent an outstanding step- and atom-economical tool for the environmentally friendly construction of synthetically useful molecular scaffolds. In contrast to ortho and para C-H acylation of arenes and heteroarenes, meta C-H acylations are rarely reported. The aim of METACYL is the development of unconventional C-H Acylation methods to access meta-substituted carbonylated compounds in an environmentally benign manner.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union