Selective Activation of Alkyl- and Aryl-Oxygen Single Bonds in Solution with Transition Metal Complexes

摘要

Activation of C-O single bonds by metal complexes has been proposed as a key step in the hydrodeoxygenation of crude oil and may lead to the design of novel catalytic reactions. As yet few clear examples with unstrained bonds have been reported. We present here the first metal insertion into the strong aryl-O bond of an aryl ether under mild conditions in solution. This reaction occurs directly, with no intermediacy of C- H active, tion or insertion into an adjacent weaker Me-O bond. Furthermore, itis possible to direct the C-O activation process to either an aryl-O or alkyl-O bond by choice of the metal complex. Insertion of metal complexes into aryl-N and aryl-C bonds was reported recently.