Copper(I) Enolate Complexes in Alpha-Arylation Reactions: Synthesis, Reactivity, and Mechanism

Copper is all bound up: The copper-catalyzed α-arylation of carbonyl compounds occurs through oxidative addition of iodoarenes to the C-bound Cu^I enolate species 1 to form an aryl–Cu^III intermediate (see scheme). Computational results provide insight into the origins of the relative reactivity of various Cu^I enolate complexes in the reactions with iodoarenes. Read more on publisher's site.