Palladium-catalyzed site-selective C–H polyfluoroarylation of arenes via aryl thianthrenium salts

Abstract

This study introduces a novel method for the selective formal C–H/C–H cross-coupling of arenes with polyfluoroarenes via aryl thianthrenium salts under palladium catalysis, resulting in the production of a range of polyfluorinated biaryls in good to excellent yields. The approach demonstrates good environmental sustainability by operating in a one-pot fashion and allowing for the recovery of thianthrene. This two-step process demonstrates its synthetic versatility by enabling the late-stage functionalization of bioactive molecules and the modification of polyfluorinated biaryls.