Selenophenes coupling reactions

Cross-coupling reactions between organoboranes and heteroaryl halides are effectively catalyzed by Pd(0) in the presence of a base. Couplings in simple pyrimidines are illustrated by the reaction between 2-chloropyrimidine and 2- or 3-thiophene- and selenophene-boronic acids which give the corresponding 2-substituted pyrimidines (921) (Scheme 72). In 2,4-dichloro- or 2,4-dibromo-pyrimidine it is the 4-halo substituent which is the more reactive. 

Palladium cross-coupling reactions of a-haloselenophenes are a useful tool for the preparation of selenophene-containing copolymers <2005PSA823, 2005MM244>. 

Conventional palladium(II)-catalyzed coupling methodology allowed the formation of a number of oligo 2-thienyl or selenienyls <90H(30)645>. The thallation reaction of selenophene affords the 2-thallated species which give 2-iodoselenophene upon iodination <90MI 213-06). 

The arene substrates are not limited to simple benzene derivatives. A variety of het-eroarenes can also participate in alkene arylations to generate the desired coupling products. Stoichiometric oxidative coupling of aromatic heterocycles such as furan, thiophene, selenophene, A-methylpyrrole, benzofiiran and benzothiophene with a variety of alkenes, including acrylonitrile, styrene and methyl acrylate, have been extensively studied by Fu-jiwara and coworkers [8]. Furan, thiophene, selenophene and A-methylpyrrole are easily alkenylated with alkenes to give 2-alkenylated and 2,5-dialkenylated heterocycles in relatively low yields (3 6%) [8a], while the reactions of benzofuran and benzothiophene with alkenes produced a mixture of 2- and 3-alkenylated products [8b]. 

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