Homogeneous Gold-Catalyzed Aryl–Aryl Coupling Reactions

Synthesis of biaryl motifs are crucial for the development and synthesis of pharmaceuticals, natural products, and functional materials. During the last decade, gold-catalyzed aryl–aryl coupling reactions have evolved from a curiosity to a well-established research field. This review summarizes the field from early examples up to the latest developments. Facile C–H functionalization and orthogonal reactivity compared to many other types of transition metal catalysis, for example, palladium catalysis, makes gold-catalyzed aryl–aryl coupling reactions highly appealing and valuable. 1 Introduction 2 Early Examples 3 Cross-Coupling with External Oxidants 4 Cross-Coupling without External Oxidants 5 Conclusions