Supramolecular Ensemble of Aggregates of Pentacenequinone Derivative and Cadmium NPs: A Potential Catalytic/Photocatalytic System for Direct C-H Activation of Quinones and Azoles

The present study demonstrates the utilization of in situ generated supramolecular ensemble of aggregates of pentacenequinone derivative 3 and cadmium nanoparticles (CdNPs) as an efficient catalytic system for (1) oxidant free, controlled and selective monofunctionalization and hetero/homo difunctionalization of 1,4-benzoquinone by C−H activation at room temperature (2) photocatalytic C−H functionalization of azoles with bromoarenes and (3) C−H functionalization of benzothiazole with simple arenes in ecofriendly conditions under visible light irradiations. Thus, a range of C2-arylated quinone and azole derivatives are synthesized from simple substrates using this newly developed catalytic/photocatalytic system under economic and ecofriendly conditions.