Versatile Pd(II)-Catalyzed C-H Activation/Aryl-Aryl Coupling of Benzoic and Phenyl Acetic Acids

The use of aryltrifluoroborates as coupling partners and O-2 as the oxidant substantially improves the scope and practicality of the Pd-catalyzed C-H activation/C-C coupling reaction. The newly discovered protocol made possible, for the first time, the orthocoupling of electron-deficient arenes and phenyl acetic acids With organometallic reagents.