Regio- and Chemoselective Kumada–Tamao–Corriu Reaction of Aryl Alkyl Ethers Catalyzed by Chromium Under Mild Conditions

Acting as an environmentally benign synthetic tool, the cross-coupling reactions with aryl ethers via C-O bond activation have attracted broad interest. However, the functionalizations of C-O bonds are mainly limited to nickel catalysis, and selectivity has long been a prominent challenge when several C-O bonds are present in the one molecule. We report here the first chromium-catalyzed selective cross-coupling reactions of aryl ethers with Grignard reagents by the cleavage of C-O(alkyl) bonds. Diverse transformations were achieved using simple, inexpensive chromium(II) precatalyst combining imino auxiliary at room temperature. It offers a new avenue for buildup functionalized aromatic aldehydes with high efficiency and selectivity.