Palladium-Catalyzed Arylation of Ketone Enolates: An Expeditious Entry to Tamoxifen-Related 1,2,2-Triarylethanones

Abstract

[reaction: see text]. After a rigorous study on the effect of several catalytic systems, a simple, high yielding procedure for the preparation of 1,2,2-triarylethanones, skeletal analogues of tamoxifen, is presented. Apart from the economic and environmental advantages involved, this palladium-catalyzed arylation of deoxybenzoin enolates features a lack of ortho-arylation side reactions. In addition, an alternative approach from acetophenones to the target triarylethanone system is also announced.