Exploration of Aryl Phosphates in Palladium-Catalyzed Mono-α-arylation of Aryl and Heteroaryl Ketones

This paper presents the first general examples of selective palladium-catalyzed mono-α-arylation of aryl and heteroaryl ketones with aryl phosphates. The catalyst system, consisting of [Pd(2-butenyl)Cl] ₂ and MorDalPhos, exhibited high catalytic reactivity toward this reaction. A wide range of aryl phosphates were efficiently coupled with aryl and heteroaryl ketones with good selectivity. Excellent-to-good product yields were afforded. The gram-scale reaction was conducted smoothly. Reductive elimination or transmetalation might be a rate-determining step in this reaction.