Manganese(III) acetate-mediated oxidative coupling of phenylhydrazines with furan and thiophene: a novel method for hetero biaryl coupling

A convenient new method for the arylation of furan and thiophene with arylhydrazine and manganese(III) acetate is described. Oxidation of arylhydrazines with Mn(III) acetate in furan or thiophene affords the corresponding 2-aryl-substituted furans and thiophenes in good yield using commercially available materials; access to 2-substituted heterobiaryls works selectively, and coupling occurs with loss of the hydrazine moiety.