Competitive pathways in Pd-catalyzed synthesis of arylphenols

Novel developments are described, which have been achieved in the framework of the studies of sequential palladium-catalyzed reactions, involving palladacycle formation with norbornene or norbornadiene via aromatic C–H activation. The use of o-bromophenols as partners of iodobenzenes has led to ring formation after norbornene deinsertion, or to arylphenols, containing a pendant norbornenyl or norbornadienyl group or to vinylarylphenols. The availability of a reductive elimination step drives the reaction course toward a preferential product.