Palladium-catalyzed direct arylation of thiazoles with aryl bromides

Thiazole, 2-phenyl or -alkyl substituted one and benzothiazole are efficiently arylated with aryl bromides at the 2- and/or 5-position(s) in the presence of Pd(OAc)2 and a bulky phosphine ligand using Cs2CO3 as base. 2-Phenyl-5-thiazolecarboxanilide undergoes successive diarylation at the 4- and 5-positions accompanied by decarbamoylation.