Palladium(II)/Norbornene Cooperative Catalysis for Regioselective C-H Silylation Toward Diversified Silylindoles.

A strategy for the selective C-H silylation of 7-phenyl-1H-indoles has been established via palladium(II)/norbornene cooperative catalysis. This method employs norbornene (NBE) as both a C-H activation mediator and an alkylating agent to access arylsilanes with exceptional selectivity. Kinetic isotope effect (KIE) studies revealed that C-H cleavage is the rate-determining step, consistent with a mechanism proceeding through an eight-membered palladacycle.