One-Pot Synthesis of Dibenzo[b,d]oxepines via Olefinic C–F Bond Functionalization and Intramolecular Pd-Catalyzed C–H Arylation

We report base-mediated reactions of 1-bromo-2-(2,2-difluorovinyl)benzenes with phenols followed by Pd-catalyzed intramolecular C–H arylation, which offers a novel route to a pharmaceutically relevant class of compounds, oxepines. Construction of these medium-sized ring structures proceeds as a one-pot two-step reaction through diaryl ketene acetals as intermediates. It allows to obtain various dibenz[b,d]oxepine derivatives in moderate to high yields.