A Domino Oxidation/Arylation/Protodecarboxylation Reaction of Salicylaldehydes: Expanded Access to meta-Arylphenols.

A method that allows salicylaldehydes to be efficiently transformed into meta-arylated phenol derivatives through a cascade oxidation/arylation/protodecarboxylation sequence is presented. We demonstrate that the aldehyde functional group can be used as a convenient removable directing group to control site selectivity in C-H activation. Aldehydes are easily introduced into the starting materials and the group is readily cleaved after the C-H functionalization event.