Using a
hig
h-t
hroug
hput experimentation approa
ch we found a sele
ctive and mild Pd-
catalyzed oxidative
coupling rea
ction between anilide derivatives and a
crylates t
hat o
ccurs t
hroug
h ort
ho C-H bond a
ctivation. T
he rea
ction is
carried out in an a
cidi
c environment and o
ccurs even at room temperature wit
h use of a
cheap oxidant (benzoquinone) in yields up to 91%. T
he benzoquinone possibly also fun
ctions as a ligand, stabilizing t
he
catalyst. From t
he ele
ctroni
c dependen
ce of t
he rea
ction and t
he observed kineti
c isotope effe
ct (
kH/
kD = 3) t
he key step of t
he
catalyti
c cy
cle is believed to be ele
ctrop
hili
c atta
ck by a [PdOA
c]
+ complex on t
he
chars/pi.gif" BORDER=0 >-system of t
he arene.