Pd(II)-catalyzed ortho arylation of 6-arylpurines with aryl iodides via purine-directed C-H activation: a new strategy for modification of 6-arylpurine derivatives.

Purine is utilized as a new directing group for the Pd-catalyzed monoarylation of 6-arylpurines with simple aryl iodides via C-H bond activation in good yields, providing a complementary tool for the modification of 6-arylpurines (nucleosides). Most importantly, purine can be used as a building block for nucleoside derivatives, and the use of purine as a directing group helps avoid additional synthetic steps.