Palladium-catalyzed para-selective arylation of phenols with aryl iodides in waterElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3cc44345k

Highly para -selective palladium-catalyzed direct arylation of phenols with aryl iodides was demonstrated by taking advantage of the formal inverse direct arylation strategy. A series of 4-aryl phenols were synthesised by employing water as a "green" solvent under mild reaction conditions. Highly para -selective palladium-catalyzed direct arylation of phenols with aryl iodides was demonstrated by taking advantage of the formal inverse direct arylation strategy.