Heteroatom-guided, palladium-catalyzed regioselective C-H functionalization in the synthesis of 3-arylquinolines.

A new approach for the regioselective functionalization of the C-3-position of quinolines is described. The method utilizes heteroatom guided regioselective C-3 palladation followed by arylation via transmetalation with aryl boronic acids to yield 3-aryl-N-acyl-1,2-dihydroquinolines. In a one-pot sequence, N-deacylation followed by aromatization leads to important 3-arylquinolines in good yields.