Practical Protocol for the Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Arylphosphonates from Bromoarenes and Diethyl Phosphite

A greatly improved, reliable protocol for the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of dialkyl phosphites with aryl bromides has been developed. The use of an alcoholic solvent was the key to high yields in the synthesis of a broad variety of arylphosphonates, with Pd(OAc)2/PPh3 as the catalyst and a sterically demanding ­tertiary amine as the base.