A novel Pd(OAc)2/Ag2CO3-catalyzed coupling reaction was investigated. Substituted 3-benzylidene-2-arylisoindolin-1-ones were reacted with diphenylphosphine oxide to afford 3-arylidene-2-(2-(diphenylphosphoryl)aryl)isoindolin-1-ones. The reaction proceeded at 25 °C in an air atmosphere in the absence of base and ligands. Our results indicate that the diphenylphosphine oxide free radical tends to attack the aryl rather than the double bond in this reaction.
