An electrochemical synthesis of benzazoles directly from alcohols and o-substituted anilines has been developed. The reaction conditions have been optimized by varying the composition of the electrolyte and the metal salt used as catalyst. The cyclization proceeds smoothly with a catalytic amount of a cobalt salt under air at room temperature to afford 2-substituted benzimidazoles, benzothiazoles, and benzoxazoles in good to excellent yields with a wide substrate scope.

An efficient and mild copper-mediated reaction for the direct perfluoroalkylation and difluoromethylation of indoles with perfluoroalkyl halides and ICF₂COOEt to produce 2-substituted indoles was developed. Both free indole derivatives and N-substituted indole derivatives could be used in this process to obtain the desired products in moderate to good yields.

A one-pot reaction for the synthesis of 1-substituted-3-methylene-5-yn-1-ol compounds from In-mediated propargylation of aldehydes with 3-bromo-1-propyne was reported. Our studies showed that the propargylic alcohol formed in the reaction was selectively subjected to further propargylation of the triple bond to afford the Markovnikov addition products in a regiospecific fashion.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)