The influence of electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents (nitro, nitrile, chloro, bromo, methoxy or amino) on 1,3-difluorobenzenes in their palladium-catalysed direct C2 arylation has been explored. With most substituents, the reaction proceeds nicely using air-stable palladium catalysts (0.5-2 mol-%) and KOAc/DMA. In general, very regioselective C2-arylation was observed. Moreover, a variety of substituents on the aryl bromide coupling partner (ester, acetyl, formyl, nitro, nitrile, trifluoromethyl, chloro, fluoro or methyl) was tolerated. Palladium-catalysed direct arylation of 4- or 5-substituted 1,3-difluorobenzenes allows the synthesis of 2-arylated 1,3-difluorobenzenes in one step. This regioselective C2-arylation proceeds with air-stable palladium catalysts and KOAc/DMA. Both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents (chloro, bromo, methoxy or amino) on the 1,3-difluorobenzenes were tolerated. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.