Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Diaryl Ketones from Aldehydes and (Hetero)Aryl Halides via C–H Bond Activation

We developed a palladium-catalyzed C–H transformation that enabled the synthesis of ketones from aldehydes and (hetero)aryl halides. The use of picolinamide ligands was key to achieving the transformation. Heteroaryl ketones, as well as diaryl ketones, were synthesized in good to excellent yields, even in gram-scale, using this reaction. Results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations support the C–H bond activation pathway.