Lewis Acid-Mediated Site-Selective Synthesis of Oxygenated Biaryls from Methoxyphenols and Electron-Rich Arenes

A rapid, efficient, and metal-free Lewis acid-mediated methodology has been developed for the site-selective synthesis of unsymmetrical oxygenated biaryls. This simple and efficient methodology furnished highly oxygenated and functionalized unsymmetrical biaryls in good to excellent yields by the direct oxidative coupling of electron-rich arenes to the alpha-position of carbonyl functionality of in situ generated masked benzoquinones.