The Suzuki-Miyaura couplings of o-, m-, and p-halophenols with o-, m-, and p-phenol boronic acids were investigated for all combinations under standardized conditions, using Pd/C as a heterogeneous catalyst and water as a solvent. In the case of iodophenols, conventional heating was used, while for bromophenols significantly better results could be obtained using microwave irradiation. This systematic study revealed that 2,4'-biphenol is particularly difficult to access, irrespective of the starting materials used, but that these difficulties can be overcome by using different additives. The conclusions drawn from this investigation allowed us to identify conditions for the protecting group-free or minimized total synthesis of biaryl-type phytoalexins. These compounds possess antibacterial activity and are produced by fruit trees as a response to microbial infection.

User-friendly protocols for the protecting group-free synthesis of 2,2'-biphenols via Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of o-halophenols and o-boronophenol are presented. The reactions proceed in water in the presence of simple additives such as K2CO3, KOH, KF, or TBAF and with commercially available Pd/C as precatalyst. Expensive or laboriously synthesized ligands or other additives are not required. In the case of bromophenols, efficient rate acceleration and short reaction times were accomplished by microwave irradiation.

Allyl, dimethylallyl and prenyl ethers derived from o‐acylphenols reacted upon microwave irradiation to form C‐allylated or ‐prenylated chromone derivatives, depending on the substitution pattern of the arene and the allyl substituent. The reaction proceeds through a tandem Claisen rearrangement and 6‐endo‐trig or 6‐endo‐dig cyclization sequence. For prenyl ethers, the tandem sequence can be extended by a Cope rearrangement to furnish 6‐prenylchromones. The method is potentially useful for the synthesis of natural products and drugs.

Allyl, dimethylallyl, crotyl, and prenyl ethers of various aromatic ortho-hydroxy carbonyl compounds undergo a tandem sequence of Claisen rearrangement, carbonyl olefination, and cyclization upon microwave irradiation in the presence of a stabilized ylide. The products are multiply substituted 6-or 8-allylated or prenylated coumarins (2Hchromen-2-ones).

Allyl phenyl ethers with a pendant enone substituent undergo, upon microwave irradiation, a domino sequence of Claisen rearrangement and 6-endo-trig-cyclization to furnish functionalized chroman-4-ones. The natural products tabchromones A and B were synthesized via this method.