Selective functionalization at the meta position of arenes remains a significant challenge. In this work, we demonstrate that a single anionic bipyridine ligand bearing a remote sulfonate group enables selective iridium-catalyzed borylation of a range of common amine-containing aromatic molecules at the arene meta position. We propose that this selectivity is the result of a key hydrogen bonding interaction between the substrate and catalyst. The scope of this meta-selective borylation is demonstrated on amides derived from benzylamines, phenethylamines and phenylpropylamines; amine-containing building blocks of great utility in many applications.
Keywords: C−H activation; homogeneous catalysis; hydrogen bonding; noncovalent interactions; regioselectivity.
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.