Practical imidazole-based phosphine ligands for selective palladium-catalyzed hydroxylation of aryl halides
(Chemical Equation Presented) The phenol countdown: Novel imidazole-based phosphine ligands are synthesized on scales up to 100 g by a convenient lithiation-phosphorylation method. The phosphines are stable towards air and moisture and are successfully applied as ligands in the palladium-catalyzed selective hydroxylation of aryl halides (see scheme, dba=dibenzylideneacetone).