A highly effective (triphenyl phosphite)palladium catalyst for a cross-coupling reaction of allylic alcohols with organoboronic acids

The cross coupling reaction of aryl and vinyl boronic acids and allylic alcohols proceeded smoothly in toluene or dioxane in the presence of a (triphenyl phosphite) palladium catalyst to give the corresponding allylbenzene derivatives and 1,4-dienes. Neither cocatalysts for promoting C-O bond cleavage of allylic alcohols nor bases for activation of organoboron reagents are required for promoting the coupling process. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004).