Alkylarenes, oxidative coupling

Despite the ionic reactions, other reactions (presented in Scheme 44) show that free-radical mechanisms can also take place. Catalyzed by ebselen, TBHP oxidation of alkylarenes to alkyl aryl ketones (141) [240], anthracene to anthraquinone (142), 1,4-dimethoxyarenes to 1,4-quinones (e.g., menadione 143) [244], and oxidative coupling of 2-aminophenol to phenoxazinone (144) [245] gave results similar to these when one-electron oxidants such as Ce(IV), Ag(II), or Mn(III) were the reagents. Moreover, oxidation of azine derived from 2-acetylpyridine gave a mixture of ketone (145) and condensed triazole (146) [240], The same result was found when cerium ammonium nitrate was used as the reagent. This suggests that the... 

A series of arylations of olefins by C-H bond cleavage without direction by an ortho functional group has also been reported, and these reactions can be divided into two sets. In one case, the C-H bond of an arene adds across an olefin to form an alkylarene product. This reaction has been called hydroarylation. In a second case, oxidative coupling of an arene with an olefin has been reported. This reaction forms an aryl-substituted olefin as product, and has been called an oxidative arylation of olefins. The first reaction forms the same t)q)es of products that are formed from Friedel-Crafts reactions, but with selectivity controlled by the irietal catalyst. For example, the metal-catalyzed process can form products enriched in the isomer resulting from anti-Markovnikov addition, or it could form the products from Markovnikov addition with control of absolute stereochemistry. Examples of hydroarylation and oxidative arylation of olefins are shown in Equations 18.63 - and 18.64. ... 

Transition metal-catalyzed oxidations of alkylarenes may result in a wide variety of products. For example, MN gives not only target MNQ but also isomeric 6-MNQ as well as products of C—C coupling, side-chain oxidation, and ovCToxidation (Scheme 14.12). 

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