Model Csp2-Csp3 Hurtley Coupling Catalysis that Operates through a Well-Defined CuI/CuIII Mechanism

Abstract

Hurtley-type coupling reactions, which were first discovered more than 80 years ago, involve the copper-catalyzed a-arylation of activated methylene compounds by using aryl halide substrates.[1–3] These reactions afford Csp2 Csp3 coupling products, usually as their a-aryl ketone derivatives. These compounds are important because they are found in a large number of natural products and they have also found wide application in pharmaceutical chemistry.[4] Importantly, there is not a clear understanding of the mechanistic details of copperbased Hurtley catalysis; therefore, unraveling the mechanistic pathways is of fundamental importance to facilitate the design of more-sustainable methodologie