Copper-Catalyzed Benzylic C–H Cross-Coupling Enabled by Redox Buffers: Expanding Synthetic Access to Three-Dimensional Chemical Space

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Conspectus Cross-coupling methods are the most widely used synthetic methods in medicinal chemistry. Existing reactions are dominated by methods such as amide coupling and arylation reactions that form bonds to sp 2 -hybridized carbon atoms and contribute to the formation of “flat” molecules. Evidence that three-dimensional structures often have improved physicochemical properties for pharmaceutical applications has contributed to growing demand for cross-coupling methods with sp 3 -hybridized reaction partners. Substituents attached to sp 3 carbon atoms are intrinsically displayed in three dimensions. These considerations have led to efforts to establish reactions with sp 3 cross-coupling partners, including alkyl halides, amines, alcohols, and carboxylic acids. As C(sp 3 )–H bonds are much more abundant that these more conventional coupling partners, we have been pursuing C(sp 3 )–H cross-coupling reactions that achieve site-selectivity, synthetic utility, and scope competitive with conventional coupling reactions. In this Account, we outline Cu-catalyzed oxidative cross-coupling reactions of benzylic C(sp 3 )–H bonds with diverse nucleophilic partners. These reactions commonly use N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) as the oxidant. The scope of reactivity is greatly improved by using a “redox buffer” that ensures that the Cu catalyst is available in the proper redox state to promote the reaction. Early precedents of catalytic Cu/NFSI oxidative coupling reactions, including C–H cyanation and arylation, did not require a redox buffer, but reactions with other nucleophiles, such as alcohols and azoles, were much less effective under similar conditions. Mechanistic studies show that some nucleophiles, such as cyanide and arylboronic acids, promote in situ reduction of Cu II to Cu I, contributing to successful catalytic turnover. Poor reactivity was observed with nucleophiles, such as alcohols, that do not promote Cu II reduction in the same manner. This insight led to the identification of sacrificial reductants, termed “redox buffers”, that support controlled generation of Cu I during the reactions and enable successful benzylic C(sp 3 )–H cross-coupling with diverse nucleophiles. Successful reactions include those that feature direct coupling of (hetero)benzylic C–H substrates with coupling partners (alcohols, azoles) and sequential C(sp 3 )–H functionalization/coupling reactions. The latter methods feature generation of a synthetic linchpin that can undergo subsequent reaction with a broad array of nucleophiles. For example, halogenation/substitution cascades afford benzylic amines, (thio)ethers, and heterodiarylmethane derivatives, and an isocyanation/amine–addition sequence generates diverse benzylic ureas. Collectively, these Cu-catalyzed (hetero)benzylic C(sp 3 )–H cross-coupling reactions rapidly access diverse molecules. Analysis of their physicochemical and topological properties highlights the “drug-likeness” and enhanced three-dimensionality of these products relative to existing bioactive molecules. This consideration, together with the high benzylic C–H site-selectivity and the broad scope of reactivity enabled by the redox buffering strategy, makes these C(sp 3 )–H cross-coupling methods ideally suited for implementation in high-throughput experimentation platforms to explore novel chemical space for drug discovery and related applications.

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