Ligand-Enabled, Copper-Promoted Regio- and Chemoselective Hydroxylation of Arenes, Aryl Halides, and Aryl Methyl Ethers

We report here a practical method for the ortho C–H hydroxylation of benzamides with inexpensive copper­(II) acetate monohydrate and a pyridine ligand. An intra- and intermolecular ligand combination was explored to achieve regio- and chemoselective hydroxylation. Interestingly, typical regiochemical scrambling associated with the C–H activation was further resolved by introducing a ligand-directed ortho hydroxylation of haloarenes and aryl methyl ethers.