A Simple and General Route to Aryl Iodides from Arenes

Mercury(II) oxide-tetrafluproboric acid reacts vyith arenes under mild or very mild conditions to afford, after treatment with iodine in a 'one-stage' reaction, the corresponding aryl iodide. The orientation is that expected based on general aromatic substitution theory and hence the meta-iodinated derivatives of deactivated arenes are accessible