Pd(II)-catalyzed C(sp(3))-H arylation of saturated heterocycles with a wide range of aryl iodides is enabled by an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand. A C(sp(3))-H insertion step by the Pd(II)/NHC complex in the absence of ArI is demonstrated experimentally for the first time. Experimental data suggests that the previously established NHC-mediated Pd(0)/Pd(II) catalytic manifold does not operate in this reaction. This transformation provides a new approach for diversifying pharmaceutically relevant piperidine and tetrahydropyran ring systems.
Keywords: C−H activation; N-heterocyclic carbenes; arylation; heterocycles; palladium.
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