Di-ortho-C H arylation of phenylalanine: A bimetallic interaction between Pd(IV)-Ag(I)

The direct di-ortho-arylation of substituted phenylalanines has been accomplished via methoxyiminoacyl (MIA)-mediated Pd-catalyzed C H functionalization. A diverse array of phenylalanine substrates is amenable to this protocol, providing di-ortho-arylated phenylalanine derivatives with good to high efficiency. Computational results revealed that a bimetallic interaction between Pd(IV)-Ag(I) was formed through the localized orbital, which obviously favored the reductive elimination step of the arylation process.