Selective synthesis of fluorinated biaryls by [MCl2(PhPEWO-F)] (M = Ni, Pd) catalysed Negishi cross-coupling

Abstract

Highly selective cross-couplings to polyfluorinated assymmetric biaryls, including the symmetric biaryl C₆F₅–C₆F₅, are achieved at relatively low temperature (80 °C) and in short times using [MCl₂(PhPEWO-F)] catalysts (M = Ni, Pd; PhPEWO-F = 1-(PPh₂), 2-(CHCH–C(O)Ph)–C₆F₄), Ar^FI, and Zn(C₆F₅)₂ as example of highly fluorinated nucleophile.