High-Pressure-Promoted Multicomponent and Metal-Free Synthesis of Polyfunctionalized Biaryls

An efficient and metal-free synthesis of biaryls and heterobiaryls has been developed through a key three-component reaction involving benzylideneacetones, isopropenyl acetate and methyl propiolate under high pressure (9 kbar) and mild reaction temperatures (40 degrees C). The described synthetic protocol provides rapid access to novel, highly functionalized and metal-uncontamined 1,1-biaryls and heterobiaryls in an energy- and step-economic fashion.