12.9 g (28.5 mmol) 3-(triphenylen-2-yl)phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, 6.5 g (42.8 mmol) 3-methoxyphenylboronic acid, 0.47 g (1.1 mmol) 2-dicyclohexylphosphino-2′,6′-dimethoxybiphenyl (SPhos) and 18.2 g (85.5 mmol) potassium phosphate tribasic (K3PO4) were weighed in a round bottom flask. 150 mL toluene and 80 mL water were added to the flask as solvent. The solution was purged with nitrogen and 0.26 g (0.28 mmol) of tris(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium (0) [Pd2(dba)3] was added. The solution was heated to reflux for twelve hours. Upon cooling, the organic layer was separated, and dried with MgSO4. The product was readily separated by column chromatography using hexane/dichloromethane as eluent (1/0 gradient to 3/2). The solvent was removed by rotary evaporation resulting in 11.7 g (28 mmol) of the product, 2-(3′-methoxybiphenyl-3-yl)triphonylene.
