Synthesis of ortho-acylphenols through the palladium-catalyzed ketone-directed hydroxylation of arenes

Abstract

Ketone in charge: a formal ketone-directed palladium-catalyzed ortho-hydroxylation of arenes has been developed as an effective approach to access o-acylphenols from simple arylketones. A Pd-catalyzed oxidative ortho-carbonylation reaction using ketone directing groups to access a ketal-lactone motif is also demonstrated. The ubiquity and versatile nature of ketones make these methods attractive. BTI=PhI(TFA)(2); DCE=1,2-dichloroethane.