12/2014

As part of an ongoing program within the Center to create a detailed picture of the mechanistic details that underpin C–H Functionalization, the Musaev group disclose their work exploring the factors that underpin the palladium-catalyzed N–H bond cleavage and subsequent C–H bond activation described by the Yu group.

This work investigates four key factors, the role of the protecting group on the substrate, the nature of the R-groups on the mono-N-protected amino acid ligand used in the reaction mixture and the steric and electronic factors of the substituents that flank the C–H bond of the substrate.

Their findings describe the impact of each of these factors on all of the key steps associated with the catalytic cycle and will inform the design of future reaction systems for this and other transformations.