A convenient and effective route for the synthesis of aryl(difluoromethyl)phosphonates has been developed based on cross-coupling reactions. Upon treatment with a stoichiometric amount (or a catalytic amount in some cases) of CuI and CsF, aryl iodides reacted smoothly with (silyldifluoromethyl)phosphonates to give the corresponding aryl(difluoromethyl)phosphonates in good yields.
1,3-Yones as σ-, π-electron donating ligands significantly accelerated the cross-coupling reactions of aryl iodides with terminal alkynes, in which as low as 0.1 to 1 mol% of CuI were efficiently activated.