Site‐Selective Synthesis of Arylated Indenones by Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Coupling Reactions of 2,3,5‐Tribromoinden‐1‐one

The first transition‐metal‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions of 2,3,5‐tribromo‐1 H ‐inden‐1‐one are reported. The Suzuki–Miyaura reaction of 2,3,5‐tribromo‐1 H ‐inden‐1‐one with three equivalents of arylboronic acid gave 2,3,5‐triaryl‐1 H ‐inden‐1‐ones. The reaction with one and two equivalents of arylboronic acid gave 2,5‐dibromo‐3‐aryl‐1 H ‐inden‐1‐ones and 5‐bromo‐2,3‐diaryl‐1 H ‐inden‐1‐ones, respectively, with very good site‐selectivity. The one‐pot reaction of 2,3,5‐tribromo‐1 H ‐inden‐1‐one with one equivalent of two different arylboronic acids afforded 5‐bromo‐2,3‐diaryl‐1 H ‐inden‐1‐ones containing two different terminal aryl groups. Other one‐pot reactions allowed the synthesis of 2,3,5‐triaryl‐1 H ‐inden‐1‐ones containing different aryl groups.