Palladium-Catalyzed Benzylic Arylation

Significance

The authors report a new direct palladium-catalyzed arylation of benzylic sp^³ C-H atoms. The mild reaction conditions of this protocol require only low catalyst loadings (2.5 mol%) and allow a wide functional group tolerance on the benzylic scaffold as well as the aryl moiety. No preactivation of the benzylic position is necessary.