Gold Catalyzed Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling of Iodoarenes

This
report details a decarboxylative cross-coupling of (hetero)­aryl
carboxylates with iodoarenes in the presence of a gold catalyst (>25
examples, up to 96% yield). This reaction is site specific, which
overcomes prior limitations associated with gold catalyzed oxidative
coupling reactions. The reactivity of the (hetero)­aryl carboxylate
correlates qualitatively to the field effect parameter (Fortho). Reactions with isolated gold complexes and DFT
calculations support a mechanism proceeding through oxidative addition
at a gold­(I) cation with decarboxylation being viable at either a
gold­(I) or a silver­(I) species.