Palladium-catalyzed carbonylative cross-coupling reaction of arylboronic acids with aryl electrophiles: Synthesis of biaryl ketones

The carbonylative cross-coupling reaction of arylboronic acids with aryl electrophiles (ArI, ArBr, and ArOTf) to yield unsymmetrical biaryl ketones was carried out in anisole at 80 degrees C in the presence of a palladium catalyst and a base; The reaction selectively proceeded under an atmospheric pressure of carbon monoxide when PdCl2(PPh3)(2)(3 mol %)/K2CO3 (3 equiv) were used for aryl iodides and PdCl2(dppf) (3 mol %)/K2CO3 (3 equiv)/KI (3 equiv) for the bromides or the triflates. The carbonylation of arylboronic acids with benzyl halides gave aryl benzyl ketones.