Base promoted highly efficient copper fluorapatite catalyzed coupling of phenols with arylboronic acids under mild and ligand-free conditions

Abstract

A mild, general and highly efficient protocol has been developed for the synthesis of diaryl ethers in good to excellent yield under mild and ligand-free conditions. This is the first example in which a recyclable, heterogeneous copper fluorapatite catalyst is used for the arylation of phenols with arylboronic acids at room temperature in the presence of Cs₂CO₃ as a base and methanol as a solvent. The catalyst was recovered and reused several times without loss of catalytic activity.