Gold Catalyzed Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling of Iodoarenes

This report details a decarboxylative cross-coupling of (hetero)aryl carboxylates with iodoarenes in the presence of a gold catalyst (>25 examples, up to 96% yield). Generating an aryl nucleophile via decarboxylation obviates problems associated with transmetalation at a putative gold(III) complex. This reaction is site specific, which overcomes prior limitations associated with gold catalyzed oxidative coupling reactions. The reactivity of the (hetero)aryl carboxylate correlates qualitatively to the field effect parameter (Fortho). Furthermore, each step in a proposed mechanism was observed from isolated gold complexes, supporting a gold catalyzed mechanism.