Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Heck Coupling of Cyclic Enones with Simple Arenes by C-H Activation

A simple catalyst system consisting of Pd(OAc)(2) and 3-nitropyridine for the aerobic oxidative Heck coupling of cyclic enones, in particular challenging unsubstituted cyclic enones, with simple arenes by C-H activation was investigated. This novel method was applied to various functionalized arenes and cyclic enones and allowed the synthesis of beta-aryl cyclic enones in modest to high yields.