Abstract
A mild approach for a Cp* Co(III)-catalyzed C-H naphthylation of arenes by 7-oxabicyclic alkenes has been developed. In some cases, intermediate products with a 1,2-dihydronaphthalen-1-ol group have been isolated at room temperature in good yield. The catalytic reaction proceeds via C-H activation, insertion, beta-oxygen elimination, protonation, and dehydration, respectively. These simple protocols, featuring mild conditions and tolerance of functional groups, exhibit great potential for a variety of synthetic applications.