Convenient Access to meta‐Substituted Phenols by Palladium‐Catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Coupling and Oxidation

Abstract We report a new approach to the synthesis of meta ‐substituted phenols in which a single palladium catalyst accomplishes a Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling between a β‐chlorocyclohexenone and an arylboronic acid, and oxidation of the resulting cyclohexenone to the corresponding phenol upon introduction of a terminal oxidant and electron transfer mediator. Notably, this method also allows ready access to ortho, meta ‐disubstituted phenols, sterically congested biaryl phenols, and more highly substituted phenols.