Transition Metal‐Driven Selectivity in Direct C−H Arylation of Imidazo[2,1‐b]Thiazole.

A selective direct arylation of the different Csp2‐H bonds of imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazole with (hetero) aryl halides can be achieved simply by switching from a palladium catalyst system to the use of stoichiometric amounts of copper. The observed selectivity, also rationalized by DFT calculations, can be explained by a change in the mechanistic pathways between electrophilic palladation and base‐promoted C−H metalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]