Palladium-catalyzed double arylations of terminal olefins in acetic acid

A palladium-catalyzed Heck diarylation of terminal olefins under ligand-free conditions in acetic acid is described. This procedure allows double arylation of terminal olefins affording trisubstituted olefins in good to excellent yields. The methodology is applicable to the coupling of both electron-deficient and electron-rich aryl iodides leading to symmetrical and unsymmetrical β,β-diarylated alkenes.