Efficient Synthetic Approach to m-Terphenyl Derivatives via Arylation of Azolium Salts

Abstract

A series of m-terphenyl scaffolds connected to imidazolium salts have been obtained via Ru(II)-catalyzed arylation using haloarenes. The present approach offers structural flexibility, enabling effective access to diverse m-terphenyl based compounds, which may serve as promising candidates for various biological studies, in single step utilizing readily available starting materials. Mechanistic studies reveal a pathway involving orthometalation, oxidative addition, reductive elimination followed by second arylation.