Pd-catalyzed multidehydrogenative cross-coupling between (hetero)arenes and nitroethane to construct β-aryl nitroethylenes.

The Pd-catalyzed multidehydrogenative cross-coupling reactions of arenes with nitroethane are described. The established methods afford β-aryl nitroethylenes that are an important class of synthetic intermediates and biologically active compounds in an atom- and step-economical fashion. The reactions were applicable to substituted benzenes and a variety of heterocycles such as benzothiophenes, benzofurans, and indoles. Mechanistic experiments indicated that β-nitroethylbenzene might be the intermediate in this transformation.