Pd-catalyzed Desulfitative reaction of Aryltrifluoroborates with sodium Arenesulfinates in water

An efficient procedure for the synthesis of biaryls was catalyzed by Pd(CH3CN)(4)(BF4)(2) is reported. This Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of aryltrifluoroborates with sodium arenesulfinates was developed under mild and environmentally benign conditions, in water without any ligand or additive. The reaction gave a range of structurally diverse unsymmetrical bi-aryl molecules with excellent yields, in which the byproduct was sulfur dioxide. It is worth noting that this protocol is also applicable to many heterocyclic aromatics such as thiophene, furan, pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline and indole.