Use of tunable ligands allows for intermolecular Pd-catalyzed C-O bond formation

Bulky biaryl phosphine ligands facilitate Pd-catalyzed C-O coupling reactions of aryl halides with primary and secondary alcohols by promoting reductive elimination at the expense of beta-hydride elimination. The key to their success is the ability to match the size of the ligand to that of the combination of substrates. The efficient coupling of a number of unactivated aryl chlorides and bromides with cyclic and acyclic secondary alcohols was achieved. This included the coupling of allylic alcohols for the first time in a Pd-catalyzed coupling process.