Cobalt-Catalyzed Addition of Azoles to Alkynes

Abstract

A ternary catalytic system consisting of a cobalt salt, a diphosphine ligand, and a Grignard reagent promotes syn-addition of an azole C(2)−H bond across an unactivated internal alkyne with high chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivities under mild conditions. Mechanistic experiments suggest that the reaction involves oxidative addition of the oxazolyl C−H bond to the cobalt center, alkyne insertion into the Co−H bond, and reductive elimination of the resulting diorganocobalt species.

Publication
Ding, Z.; Yoshikai, N. Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 4180-4183.