The Catalytic Synthesis of α-Bromo Aryl Acetic Acids by Late-Stage Bromination

Abstract

We report a catalytic late-stage bromination strategy for the α-C-H functionalization of aryl acetic acid. The aryl acetic acid was transformed into enediolate in the presence of an (AcO)4B2O with the combination of DBU, and consequently underwent an electrophilic bromination reaction with pyridinium tribromide. A wide range of α-bromo aryl acetic acids were isolated in yields of 19-65%. In addition, the reaction could be performed on a gram scale, and several transformations of the products were carried out.