Metal-catalysed halogen exchange reactions of aryl halides

Aryl halides are common synthetic targets themselves, and also highly versatile synthetic intermediates. Aryl chlorides are much more widely available and easier to synthesise than the other halide derivatives, so the development of effective methods for interconverting aryl halide derivatives would therefore be extremely useful. This article outlines which transformations are particularly desirable, and describes the progress that has been made on developing methods for carrying out those transformations using copper, nickel or palladium catalysts. The possible mechanisms of these reactions are discussed, with a view to identifying areas for future investigation.