Synthesis of thioethers, arenes and arylated benzoxazoles by transformation of the C(aryl)-C bond of aryl alcohols.

Transformation of aryl alcohols into high-value functionalized aromatic compounds by selective cleavage and functionalization of the C(aryl)-C(OH) bond is of crucial importance, but very challenging by far. Herein, for the first time, we report a novel and versatile strategy for activation and functionalization of C(aryl)-C(OH) bonds by the cooperation of oxygenation and decarboxylative functionalization. A diverse range of aryl alcohol substrates were employed as arylation reagents via the cleavage of C(aryl)-C(OH) bonds and effectively converted into corresponding thioether, arene, and arylated benzoxazole products in excellent yields, in a Cu based catalytic system using O2 as the oxidant. This study offers a new way for aryl alcohol conversion and potentially offers a new opportunity to produce high-value functionalized aromatics from renewable feedstocks such as lignin which features abundant C(aryl)-C(OH) bonds in its linkages.