Rearrangement of Pyridine to Its 2-Carbene Tautomer Mediated by Iridium

Abstract

One of the Ir−CH2 bonds within the chelate structure of compound 1 acts as a C−H activation shuttle and permits the 1,2-H shift needed for the isomerization of pyridine to its 2-carbene tautomer. The iridium-mediated tautomerization is kinetically competitive with traditionally facile N coordination of the heterocycle.