Oxidative Heck couplings have been successfully developed for 2,2-disubstituted cyclopentene-1,3-diones. The direct coupling onto the 2,2-disubstituted cyclopentene-1,3-dione core provides a novel, expedient and useful way of desymmetrising all-carbon quaternary centres.
A direct arylation to furnish diarylmethanes from benzyl alcohols was realized through Pd(PPh3)4-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura coupling