Preparation and palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl triethylammonium bis(catechol) silicates with aryl triflates

Pentavalent aryl and heteroaryl bis(catechol) silicates undergo palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling with aryl and heteroaryl triflates in the presence of a fluoride source in excellent yields. These solid, air-stable bis(catechol) silicates are prepared from a high-yielding displacement reaction between catechol and an aryl siloxane in the presence of an amine base. The cross-coupling reaction is tolerant of a wide range of electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups. Several examples of di-ortho-substituted triflates are successfully coupled with these reagents.