Cobalt‐Catalyzed Mild Ring‐Opening Addition of Arenes C−H Bond to 7‐Oxabicyclic Alkenes

A mild approach for a Cp*Co(III)‐catalyzed C−H naphthylation of arenes by 7‐oxabicyclic alkenes has been developed. In some cases, intermediate products with a 1,2‐dihydronaphthalen‐1‐ol group have been isolated at room temperature in good yield. The catalytic reaction proceeds via C−H activation, insertion, β‐oxygen elimination, protonation, and dehydration, respectively. These simple protocols, featuring mild conditions and tolerance of functional groups, exhibit great potential for a variety of synthetic applications.