Palladium‐Catalyzed Regiodivergent C‐H Olefination of Imidazo[1,2a]pyridine Carboxamide and Unactivated Alkenes

Despite remarkable successes in linear and branched vinyl (hetero) arene synthesis, regiodivergent C-H olefination with a single catalytic system has remained underdeveloped. Overcoming this limitation, a Pd/MPAA-catalyzed regiodivergent C-H olefination of imidazo[1,2a] pyridine carboxamides with unactivated terminal alkenes to generate branched and linear olefinated products depending upon the electronic nature of alkenes is reported herein. Moreover, this protocol can be applied for C-H deuteriation of the corresponding heteroarenes with D2 O as deuterium source. Preliminary experimental studies combined with computational investigations (DFT studies) suggest that regiodivergent olefination can be controlled by olefin insertion and β-hydride elimination steps.