Hemilabile P,N-Ligand-Assisted Gold-Catalyzed Heck Reaction of Aryl and Styryl Iodides with Styrenes.

A gold-catalyzed Heck reaction of aryl and styryl iodides with styrenes was developed. The hemilabile P,N-ligand-assisted gold-catalyzed C(sp 2 )-C(sp 2 ) cross-coupling can synthesize stilbenes and bistyryl complexes, with good functional-group tolerance and mild conditions. The elementary organometallic steps of migratory insertion and β-hydride elimination might be involved in this ligand-enabled Au(I)/Au(III)-catalyzed Heck reaction with styrenes.