A study of the copper-catalysed direct arylation of β-dicarbonyl compounds with 2-bromobenzoic acids

The Cu-catalysed condensations of 2-bromobenzoic acids with β-dicarbonyl anions to give α-arylated-β-dicarbonyl compounds have been investigated in detail. Previously recommended experimental conditions for these reactions are shown to be in appropriate and the limited synthetic utility of these processes in the past is explained. Much superior conditions have now been developed by use of which a variety of β-dicarbonyl compounds can readily be arylated in good to excellent yield with A wide range of substituted 2-bromobenzoic acids and with certain other halo-aromatic acids. The scope and limitations of the synthetic method have been established, and a simple, high yield procedure for the preparation of homophthalic acids is described. It is shown that Cu(I) is almost certainly the effective catalyst, and information has been obtained on the probable mechanism of the substitution reaction by examination of steric and electronic effects in the halo-aromatic acids and by consideration of the structure and role of the β-dicarbonyl component.