With the optimized reaction conditions in hand, the scope of the substrates was examined (
Scheme 2). Benzoxazole
1 reacted smoothly with bromobenzene
2a and its derivatives
2b-
2t to give the anticipated products
3a-3t in moderate to high yields (35%-93%). Aryl bromides with a methyl group at the
para-or
meta-position(
2c and
2d) gave the corresponding products
3c and
3d in 82% and 79% yields, respectively. When the methyl group was attached at the
ortho-position, a lower 54% yield was obtained, revealing the steric hindrance of the reacting position. The electron-withdrawing substituent CF
3 at the
para-position of
2e allowed isolation of the aryl-benzoxazole
3e in a slightly higher yield (84%), while electron-donating OMe counterpart has the opposite effect on the corresponding product
3f (70%). Nevertheless, both weakly electron-withdrawing (F, Cl) and strongly electron-donating (NMe
2,
tBu) substituents gave higher yields (81%-88%), showing that the limiting step is not, at least not always, an S
NAr-like oxidative addition process of the C-Br bond to the electron-rich Pd center (a favored by electron-withdrawing substituents on the aryl ring) [
28]. For substituent F, however, the classical trend is restored through the relative reactivity of the para and
ortho aryl bromide derivatives
2i and
2m (giving
3i and
3m in 81% and 80% yields)
vs. the
meta derivative
2k (giving
3k in 35% yield). This trend is also observed for the CF
3 substituent, giving 41% yield in
3q for the
meta position,
vs. 84% yield in
3e for the
para position. For a non-fluorinated electron-withdrawing substituent, the position effect of the formyl group remains consistent but much less dramatic, giving 80% yield in
3r for the
meta position,
vs. 86% yield in
3s for the
para position. For the donating OMe substituent, a remarkable counter-effect of the position is observed: while
para- and
meta-bromoanisoles led to the expected products
3f and
3p in 70% and 62% yields, respectively, the more hindered
ortho-bromoanisole
2o gave
3o with a significantly higher yield of 80%, revealing an assistance of the OMe group. The isosteric, but non-coordinating
ortho-bromotoluene
2b gives
3b in 54% yield only. 2-Bromonaphthalene and brominated heterocycles such as 2-bromopyridine, 2-bromothiophene, and 3-bromothiophene were also found to be suitable substrates, affording the corresponding products
3t and
3v-
3x in 60%-73% yields.