Copper-Catalyzed Carboxylation of Aryl Iodides with Carbon Dioxide

A method for carboxylation of aryl iodides with carbon dioxide has been developed. The reaction employs low loadings of copper iodide/<i>N,N,N</i>′<i>,N</i>′-tetramethyl­ethylene­diamine (TMEDA) or <i>N,N</i>′-dimethyl­ethylene­diamine (DMEDA) catalyst, 1 atm of CO₂, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or dimethylacetamide (DMA) solvent, and proceeds at 25–70 °C. Good functional group tolerance is observed, with ester, bromide, chloride, fluoride, ether, hydroxy, amino, and ketone functionalities tolerated. Additionally, hindered aryl iodides such as iodomesitylene can also be carboxylate

Copper-Catalyzed Homodimerization of Nitronates and Enolates under an Oxygen Atmosphere

A method for copper-catalyzed oxidative dimerization of nitronates and enolates using oxygen as the terminal oxidant has been developed. Cyclization through oxidative intramolecular coupling is also feasible for both nitronates and enolates. The mild reaction conditions lead to good functional group tolerance