A process comprising: reacting a compound of formula A and a compound of formula B to form a compound of formula C; and reacting one of the compound of formula C and the compound of formula D with a first boron esterification reagent to generate a boronic acid or a boronic ester to react with another of the compound of formula C and the compound of formula D to form a compound of formula E; wherein R 1, R 2, and R 3 are, independently at each occurrence, a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 20 aromatic radical, or a C 3 -C 20 cycloaliphatic radical; X1 is chloro, bromo, trifluoromethanesulfonate, or hydroxy: X2 is chloro, bromo, iodo; and when X1 is chloro, X2 is bromo or iodo, when X1 is bromo, X2 is iodo, when X1 is hydroxy, X2 is chloro, bromo or iodo, when X1 is trifluoromethanesulfonate. X2 is bromo or iodo: X3 is boronic acid or boronic ester: X is CH or N and when X is CH, at least one of R 2 is pyridyl; X4 is chloro, bromo, trifluoromethanesulfonate, or hydroxy; X5 is chloro, bromo, iodo; and when X4 is chloro, X5 is bromo or iodo, when X4 is bromo, X5 is iodo, when X4 is hydroxy, X5 is chloro, bromo or iodo, when X4 is trifluoromethanesulfonate. X5 is bromo or iodo; a, and c are, independently at each occurrence, an integer ranging from 0-4; and b is an integer ranging from 0-3. reacting a compound of formula A and a compound of formula B to form a compound of formula C; and reacting one of the compound of formula C and the compound of formula D with a first boron esterification reagent to generate a boronic acid or a boronic ester to react with another of the compound of formula C and the compound of formula D to form a compound of formula E; wherein R 1, R 2, and R 3 are, independently at each occurrence, a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 20 aromatic radical, or a C 3 -C 20 cycloaliphatic radical; X1 is chloro, bromo, trifluoromethanesulfonate, or hydroxy: X2 is chloro, bromo, iodo; and when X1 is chloro, X2 is bromo or iodo, when X1 is bromo, X2 is iodo, when X1 is hydroxy, X2 is chloro, bromo or iodo, when X1 is trifluoromethanesulfonate. X2 is bromo or iodo: X3 is boronic acid or boronic ester: X is CH or N and when X is CH, at least one of R 2 is pyridyl; X4 is chloro, bromo, trifluoromethanesulfonate, or hydroxy; X5 is chloro, bromo, iodo; and when X4 is chloro, X5 is bromo or iodo, when X4 is bromo, X5 is iodo, when X4 is hydroxy, X5 is chloro, bromo or iodo, when X4 is trifluoromethanesulfonate. X5 is bromo or iodo; a, and c are, independently at each occurrence, an integer ranging from 0-4; and b is an integer ranging from 0-3. wherein R 1, R 2, and R 3 are, independently at each occurrence, a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 20 aromatic radical, or a C 3 -C 20 cycloaliphatic radical; X1 is chloro, bromo, trifluoromethanesulfonate, or hydroxy: X2 is chloro, bromo, iodo; and when X1 is chloro, X2 is bromo or iodo, when X1 is bromo, X2 is iodo, when X1 is hydroxy, X2 is chloro, bromo or iodo, when X1 is trifluoromethanesulfonate. X2 is bromo or iodo: X3 is boronic acid or boronic ester: X is CH or N and when X is CH, at least one of R 2 is pyridyl; X4 is chloro, bromo, trifluoromethanesulfonate, or hydroxy; X5 is chloro, bromo, iodo; and when X4 is chloro, X5 is bromo or iodo, when X4 is bromo, X5 is iodo, when X4 is hydroxy, X5 is chloro, bromo or iodo, when X4 is trifluoromethanesulfonate. X5 is bromo or iodo; a, and c are, independently at each occurrence, an integer ranging from 0-4; and b is an integer ranging from 0-3.