Intermolecular cross-coupling of simple arenes via C-H activation by tuning concentrations of arenes and TFA

Formation of unsymmetrical biaryls from simple arenes has been achieved successfully in a catalytic system of Pd(OAc)(2)/CF3CO2H(TFA)/K2S2O8 just by tuning the concentrations of arenes and TFA under mild conditions. A proposed mechanism containing two- step aromatic C-H activation on this novel intermolecular cross- coupling of arenes is also suggested and partly supported by experiments.