Peroxide-Free Pd(II)-Catalyzed Ortho Aroylation and Ortho Halogenation of Directing Arenes.

A Pd(II)-catalyzed peroxide-free ortho aroylation of directing arenes has been developed via cross dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) in the presence of the terminal oxidant Cu(OAc)2·H2O. Ortho aroylation of directing arenes proceeds via decarbonylation of the in situ generated phenyl glyoxal, which is obtained from 2-acetoxyacetophenone in the presence of the oxidant Cu(OAc)2·H2O. However, changing the oxidant to CuX2 (X = Cl, Br) provided exclusive di-ortho-halogenated 2-arylbenzothiazoles. During the halogenation, CuX2 served the dual role of a halogen source as well as a co-oxidant.