Abstract

Nitroarenes are readily accessible chemical feedstocks, but they are less commonly used in cross-coupling reactions before being converted to aryl halides. We have demonstrated a series of Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions using nitroarenes directly as electrophiles. Nitroalkanes are also useful synthetic intermediates for constructing complex molecules. Despite the obvious benefits of their denitrative transformations, the reductive removal of a NO2 group from nitroalkanes is challenging due to the competitive reduction of the NO2 group itself, leading to the formation of nitroso compounds, hydroxylamines, and amines. We have recently found novel catalytic denitrative radical reactions of nitroalkanes.