A general method for copper-catalyzed deprotonative dimerization of arenes by employing oxygen as the terminal oxidant has been developed. Electron-rich and electron-poor heterocycles as well as electron-poor arenes are reactive. The method is tolerant to functionalities such as nitro, cyano, dialkylamino, and ester groups.
Yakobson,G.G. et al., Doklady Chemistry, 1964, vol. 159, p. 1347 - 1350