Copper‐Mediated Decarboxylative C–H Arylation of Phenol Derivatives with ortho‐Nitrobenzoic Acids Using Phenanthroline‐Based Bidentate Auxiliary

A copper‐mediated decarboxylative C–H arylation of phenol derivatives with ortho‐nitrobenzoic acid salts via phenanthroline‐directed C–H cleavage has been developed. The N,N‐bidentate phenanthroline auxiliary uniquely promotes the reaction only in the presence of a copper salt to produce the corresponding biaryls in acceptable yields. Moreover, the directing group can be easily introduced and removed. Additionally, preliminary computational mechanistic studies with DFT have also been performed. A copper‐mediated decarboxylative arylation of phenol derivatives with potassium 2‐nitrobenzoates via phenanthroline‐directed C–H cleavage has been developed. The reaction proceeds even in the presence of copper alone to form the corresponding biaryls in synthetically useful yields. Moreover, the directing group can be easily introduced and removed. Preliminary computational mechanistic studies with DFT are also described.