Selective reactivity of electron-rich aryl iodides in the Heck arylation of disubstituted alkenes catalyzed by palladium–arylurea complexes

A catalyst consisting of 1 mol % of the 1:2 complex of Pd(OAc)2 with N-(4-carbethoxyphenyl)urea promotes the Heck arylation of 2- or 3-substituted, conjugated esters, nitriles, aldehydes, and ketones (an uncharacteristically broad range of substrates), but only with electron-rich aryl iodides (an uncharacteristically narrow range of halides).