Table 1.

Optimization^a

no	1	cat.	ligand	base	deviation from standard conditions	Yield of 3ab (%)
1	1a	Pd(PPh3)4	-	Cs2CO3	toluene, 50 °C	dec.
2	1a	Pd(dppf)Cl2	-	Cy2NMe	PhCF3, 110 °C	dec.
3	1a	Pd(OAc)2	Xantphos	Cs2CO3	-	87
4	1a	Pd(PPh3)4	-	Cs2CO3	THF	14
5	1a	Pd(OAc)2	DPEPhos	Cs2CO3	-	7
6	1a	Pd(OAc)2	t-Bu-Xantphos	Cs2CO3	-	0
7	1a	Pd(OAc)2	L	Cs2CO3	-	7
8	1a	Pd(OAc)2	Xantphos	Cs2CO3	no light, 40 °C	traces
9	1a	-	Xantphos	Cs2CO3	-	0
10	1d	Pd(dppf)Cl2	-	Cy2NMe	PhCF3, 110 °C	dec.
11	1d	Pd(OAc)2	Xantphos	Cs2CO3	-	67
12	1d	Pd(OAc)2	Xantphos	Cs2CO3	no light, rt	88
13	1h	Pd(dppf)Cl2	-	Cy2NMe	PhCF3, 110 °C	dec.
14	1h	Pd(OAc)2	Xantphos	Cs2CO3	-	30
15	1h	Xantphos Pd G3	-	iPr2NEt	-	86
16	1h	Xantphos Pd G3	-	iPr2NEt	no light, 40 °C	96

^aConditions: 1a 0.1 mmol scale, catalyst (10 mol %), ligand (20 mol %), base (2 equiv), benzene (0.5 M), 34 W blue LED.

^bGC–MS yield.