Palladium-catalyzed homocoupling of aryl halides in the presence of fluoride

This report describes the fluoride-mediated homocoupling of aryl iodides and bromides catalyzed by palladium(0). This coupling protocol is tolerant of electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substitutents on the aryl halide, as well as ortho substitution. Optimum reaction conditions entail 10 mol% Pd(dba)2, 3 equiv of tetrabutyl ammonium fluoride (TBAF) in DMF at 90 °C.