The synthesis and use of new ligands in C–H activation catalysis can have a significant impact on reactivities as well as stereo- and regioselectivities. In this context, we have exemplarily disclosed a novel catalyst design based on air- and moisture-stable secondary phosphine oxide (SPO) preligands for efficient C–H arylations of heteroarenes.

Selected publications:

A) S. Dana,' N. K. Pandit,' P. Boos,' T. von Münchow, S. E. Peters, S. Trienes, L. Haberstock, R. Herbst-Irmer, D. Stalke, L. Ackermann, "Parametrization of κ2-N,O-Oxazoline Preligands for Enantioselective Cobaltaelectro-Catalyzed C–H Activations", ACS Catal. 2025, in press. 'These authors contributed equally Abstract

B) Z-J. Zhang, N. Jacob, S. Bhatia, P. Boos, X. Chen, J. C. DeMuth, A. M. Messinis, B. B. Jei, J. C. A. Oliveira, A. Radović, M. L. Neidig, J. Wencel-Delord, L Ackermann, "Iron-catalyzed stereoselective C–H alkylation for simultaneous construction of C–N axial and C-central chirality", Nat. Commun. 2024, 15, 3503. Abstract

C) Z-J. Zhang, M. M. Simon, S. Yu, S-W. Li, X. Chen, S. Cattani, X. Hong, L. Ackermann, "Nickel-Catalyzed Atroposelective C–H Alkylation Enabled by Bimetallic Catalysis with Air-Stable Heteroatom-Substituted Secondary Phosphine Oxide Preligands", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 9172-9180. Abstract

D) J. Loup, D. Zell, J. C. A. Oliveira, H. Keil, D. Stalke, L. Ackermann, "Asymmetric Iron-Catalyzed C–H Alkylation Enabled by Remote Ligand meta-Substitution", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 14197-14201. Abstract

E) D. Ghorai, V. M ller, H. Keil, D. Stalke, G. Zanoni, B. A. Tkachenko, Peter R. Schreiner, L. Ackermann, "Secondary Phosphine Oxide Preligand for Palladium-Catalyzed C–H (Hetero)Arylations: Efficient Access to Pybox Ligands", Adv. Synth. Catal. 2017, 359, 3137-3141. Abstract