Convenient Stille carbonylative cross-couplings using molybdenum hexacarbonyl

Palladium catalysis was used in Stille-type carbonylative cross-couplings employing Mo(CO)6 as the carbon monoxide source. Robust and convenient transformations were carried out in closed vessels at 100 °C, providing a set of diaryl ketones in good yields. Aryl triflates and bromides were used as coupling partners with aryl stannanes. Inclusion of the Mo(CO)6 destabilizing agent DBU made this protocol operationally simple and suppressed side-product formation.