Iron-catalyzed directed alkylation of aromatic and olefinic carboxamides with primary and secondary alkyl tosylates, mesylates, and halides

Alkenes, arenes, and heteroarenes possessing an 8-quinolylamide group as the directing group are alkylated with primary and secondary alkyl tosylates, mesylate, and halides in the presence of Fe(acac) ₃/ diphosphine as a catalyst and ArZnBr as a base. The reaction proceeds stereospeci fically for alkene substrates and takes place without loss of regiochemical integrity of the starting secondary tosylate, but with loss of the stereochemistry of the chiral center.