Ru(II)-catalyzed regioselective oxidative Heck reaction with internal olefins that tolerated strongly coordinating heterocycles

The oxidative Heck reaction of strongly coordinating heterocycles with internal olefins often led to elusive reactivity and regioselectivity. Herein, by judicious choice of X-type directing groups under Ru(II) catalysis, we achieved the regioselective oxidative Heck reaction of strongly coordinating heterocycles with sterically demanding internal olefins. It was postulated that the “match/mismatch effect” of sterically demanding internal olefins as coupling partners and subsequent kinetically favoured Michael addition or oxidative aromatization act as driving forces to facilitate the desired reactivity and site-selectivity.