Regiospecific synthesis of unsymmetrical 2,3-Diarylquinones via stepwise Pd(O)-Catalyzed couplings of arylstannanes to doubly activated quinone equivalents

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(97)01532-3

Coupling of arylstannanes to 2-phenyliodonio-1,4-naphthoquinone-3-oxide in the presence of a tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(O)-cuprous iodide catalyst yields 3-aryl-2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones which are converted to the corresponding 3-aryl-2-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and coupled to a different arylstannane to yield unsymmetrical 2,3-diaryl-1,4-naphthoquinones in good yields.