We report the Pd-catalyzed α-arylation of α, α-difluoroketones with aryl and heteroaryl bromides and chlorides catalyzed by an air-and moisture-stable palladacyclic complex containing P (t-Bu) Cy2 as ligand. The combination of this Pd-catalyzed arylation and base- induced cleavage of the acyl–aryl C–C bond within the α-aryl-α, α-difluoroketone constitutes a one-pot, two-step procedure to synthesize difluoromethylarenes from aryl halides. A ...