Ru(II)/PEG-400 as a highly efficient and recyclable catalytic media for annulation and olefination reactions via C–H bond activation

In this report synthesis of isoquinolinones, isocoumarins, and N-methyl isoquinolinones and olefination of the Weinreb amides by C–H bond activation using Ru(II)/PEG-400 as green and recyclable media are documented. This developed methodology is capable of the regioselective and stereoselctive construction of new C–C, C–O and C–N bonds by the one step cleavage of C–H, N–H, O–H and N–O bonds. This method is environmentally benign due to its peculiar characteristics such as (i) high atom economy, (ii) reuse of an expensive ruthenium based homogeneous catalytic system, (iii) mild reaction conditions with a simple extraction process and, (iv) importantly, all the systems derived from this protocol being scalable up to the gram level.