Aerobic oxidative coupling of arenes and olefins through a biomimetic approach.

Arenes and electron-deficient olefins can be oxidatively coupled through a biomimetic Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed transformation. C-H activation of the arene partner is effected under reaction conditions of low catalyst loading, normal oxygen pressure, and using p-benzoquinone and iron phthalocyanine as electron-transfer mediators (ETMs). By controlling catalyst loading, the reaction can be made selective for either mono- or diarylation.