The development of a palladium-catalysed C–H carbonylation of hindered secondary amines is described. Central to this strategy is the temporary conversion of simple ketones into hindered secondary amines that facilitates a sterically promoted palladium-catalysed C–H activation. A range of functional groups are shown to be compatible with this catalytic process, and with exclusive regioselectivity for the terminal ethyl sp 3 C–H in most cases. This method allows an overall incorporation of a carboxyl group to the b-position of terminal ketones, generating 1,4- dicarbonyl moieties which are important synthetic building blocks.

The sterically promoted C–H functionalisation strategy has been employed as the key step in the synthesis of a functionalised analogue of astemizole, a pharmaceutical agent which suffers from undesired hERG activity. The increased steric bulk around the tertiary amine, coupled with introduction of a polar hydroxyl group via the C–H acetoxylation reaction, is proposed to reduce binding to the hERG channel. The hERG profile of this analogue is not yet established.