Open-air oxidative Heck reactions at room temperature

Palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidative Heck arylation reactions proceed at room temperature with atmospheric air as the sole reoxidant. Using arylboronic acids as arylating agents and inexpensive 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline as the supporting ligand, efficient vinylic substitution reactions were obtained both with electron-poor and electron-rich olefins on a 1–50 mmol scale.