To a stirred solution of 1-iodo-3,5-dimethylbenzene (2.0 g, 8.61 mmol) in 40 mL of anhydrous DMF (degassed with argon) were sequentially added LiCl (1.80 g, 43.00 mmol), Pd(dba)3 (98.6 mg, 0.11 mmol), EtNPr2 (2.95 mL, 17.23 mmol ) and acetic anhydride (2.5 mL). After degassing the reaction flask with argon, the mixture was stirred and reacted at 100 °C for 7 hours. The progress of the reaction was monitored by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Upon completion of the reaction, the mixture was cooled to room temperature and subsequently subjected to standard ether treatment to yield 1.4 g of the target product 3,5-dimethylacetophenone as a liquid, which was used directly in the next step of the reaction without further purification. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis confirmed that the target compound had been successfully synthesized.
