alpha-Arylation of Esters and Ketones Enabled by a Bench-Stable Pd(I) Dimer Catalyst

A procedure for the alpha-arylation of alpha,alpha-disubstituted esters and ketones to generate quaternary carbon centers is described. The developed protocol is operationally simple and employs an air- and moisture-stable dinuclear Pd(I) complex [Pd(mu-I)(Pt-Bu-3)](2) to mediate selective a-arylation of aromatic C-I/Br bonds in the presence of aromatic C-Cl and/or C-OTf sites.