Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of 3,6-Diaryl-1-silylfulvenes: A Promising Entry for Preparing 1,3,6-Triarylfulvenes Bearing Three Different Aryl Groups.

We developed a synthetic methodology for preparing ()-1,3,6-triarylfulvenes bearing three different aryl groups. The reaction of 1,4-diaryl-1-bromo-1,3-butadienes with silylacetylenes in the presence of a palladium catalyst produced ()-3,6-diaryl-1-silyl-fulvenes in good to excellent yields. The (isopropoxy)silylated fulvenes thus obtained were converted to ()-1,3,6-triarylfulvenes bearing different types of aryl substituents. ()-3,6-Diaryl-1-silyl-fulvenes are promising templates for the synthesis of diverse ()-1,3,6-triarylfulvenes.