Selective synthesis of fluorinated biaryls by [MCl2(PhPEWO-F)] (M = Ni, Pd) catalysed Negishi cross-coupling.

Highly selective cross-couplings to polyfluorinated assymmetric biaryls, including the symmetric biaryl C6F5-C6F5, are achieved at relatively low temperature (80 °C) and in short times using [MCl2(PhPEWO-F)] catalysts (M = Ni, Pd; PhPEWO-F = 1-(PPh2), 2-(CHCH-C(O)Ph)-C6F4), ArFI, and Zn(C6F5)2 as example of highly fluorinated nucleophile.