Chromium-Catalyzed Regioselective Hydropyridination of Styrenes

Abstract

The first chromium-catalyzed regioselective addition of para-C–H bonds of pyridines across styrenes is disclosed. The hydrofunctionalization reaction was promoted by a low-cost chromium(III) chloride combining with a cyclohexyl Grignard reagent and 2,2′-bipyridine, which allows for the highly selective formation of branched products via the cleavage of inert C–H bonds of pyridines.