Nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl phosphates with arylboronic acids.

The Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of aryl phosphates using Ni(PCy(3))(2)Cl(2) as an inexpensive, bench-stable catalyst is described. Broad substrate scope and high efficiency are demonstrated by the syntheses of more than 40 biaryls and by constructing complex organic molecules. The poor reactivity of aryl phosphates relative to aryl halides is successfully employed to construct polyarenes by selective cross-coupling using Pd and Ni catalysts.