Palladium-CatalyzedC(O)–C Bond Cleavage ofUnstrained Ketones Assisted with Aryl Handles: An Approach to DiarylKetones

C–C bond cleavage reactions have achieved remarkable progress in molecular deconstruction and skeleton editing. In this study, we describe a palladium-catalyzed synthesis of diaryl ketones through a sequence of α-arylation and aerobic oxidative C–C bond cleavage. This transformation features good functional group compatibility, especially for highly reactive groups, including −OH, NH₂, and −CHO. Furthermore, this approach allows for gram-scale synthesis in a low catalyst loading manner. It also streamlines the synthesis of a variety of drugs or their intermediates. Mechanism studies reveal the essential role of utilizing a bulky ligand and the existence of air as the reaction atmosphere.