Palladium-catalyzed aryl group transfer from triarylphosphines to arylboronic acids

A study of Pd-catalyzed arylation of arylboronic acids with triarylphosphines is presented. Various parameters of this transformation, such as the oxygen presence, choice of solvent, temperature, palladium source, bases and oxidants, were tested and the optimal conditions of the aryl transfer were determined. The effect of electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents on the aryl groups of both reactants was also investigated. The unusual transfer of the acetate group from Pd(OAc)2 to p-nitrophenylboronic acid in the presence of PAr3 is reported. A plausible mechanism of the Pd-catalyzed aryl group transfer from PAr3 to the arylboronic acid is proposed.