Palladium–olefin catalysis is utilized to overcome the ‘ortho constraint’ in the Catellani reaction of para-substituted iodoarenes. Using a methyl-modified thio-cycloolefin ligand, this method enables selective mono-alkylative vicinal difunctionalization of para-substituted iodoarenes, which is unattainable by conventional palladium–norbornene catalysis.
- Yu-Xiu Li
- Cheng-Hao Zong
- Lei Jiao
