Palladium-catalyzed C-H acetoxylation of arenes using a pyrazolonaphthyridine ligand

Herein, Pd-catalyzed C-H acetoxylation reactions of arenes are developed using a pyrazolonaphthyridine ligand. In the presence of iodomesitylene diacetate as the oxidant, the electron-deficient ligand facilitates the C-H activation of the electron-rich positions while preventing the formation of Pd black via bidentate binding. Although both acetic acid and hexafluoroisopropanol are employed for directing group-assisted acetoxylation reactions, the latter proved to be more efficient for the nondirected reaction of arenes with the nitrogen ligand.