Highly-functionalized arene synthesis based on palladium on carbon-catalyzed aqueous dehydrogenation of cyclohexadienes and cyclohexenesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c7gc03819d

Transition metal-catalyzed dehydrogenation is a clean oxidation method requiring no additional oxidants. We have accomplished a heterogeneous Pd/C-catalyzed aqueous dehydrogenation of 1,4-cyclohexadienes and cyclohexenes to give the corresponding highly-functionalized arenes. Furthermore, various arenes could be efficiently constructed in a one-pot manner via a Diels-Alder reaction and the following dehydrogenation. Highly-functionalized arenes could be efficiently constructed by Pd/C-catalyzed aqueous dehydrogenation of 1,4-cyclohexadienes and cyclohexenes.