Palladium-catalyzed direct benzylation of azoles with benzyl carbonates.

The direct aromatic sp(2) C-H benzylation of azole compounds with benzyl carbonates proceeds efficiently in the presence of a Pd(2)(dba)(3)/dppp catalyst system and NaOAc as a base to afford the corresponding diarylmethanes in good yields. In addition, the same palladium catalyst enables the direct benzylic sp(3) C-H benzylation with the second benzyl carbonates without employing any external base.