Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of [Ph2SR][OTf] with arylboronic acids

The Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of alkyl- and fluoroalkyl(diphenyl)sulfonium triflates with arylboronic acids was compared. The fluorine substitution on the alkyl groups of [Ph2SR][OTf] had a big influence on the reaction. Perfluoroalkyl(diphenyl)sulfonium triflates (2b-d) were unsuccessful participants in the Pd-catalyzed phenylation of arylboronic acid under the standard conditions because of the strong electronegativity of the long-chain perfluoroalkyl groups, which underwent SRfn bond cleavage instead. Polyfluoroalkyl(diphenyl)sulfonium triflates (2f-h) reacted with arylboronic acid to afford the phenylation product in very low yields due to the tendency of deprotonation and β-F elimination of the sulfonium salts. Eventually, (2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)diphenylsulfonium triflate (2e), methyl- or ethyl(diphenyl)sulfonium triflate (2i or 2j), and triphenylsulfonium triflate (2m) were found to be more effective reagents than other tested phenylsulfounium salts for Pd-catalyzed phenylation, which provided much higher yields of the desired products under mild conditions.

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