The first efficient iron-catalyzed coupling of aryl iodides with phenols was developed exclusively with water as solvent. The reaction is performed with low cost and readily available FeCl3 center dot 6H(2)O and DMEDA catalytic system providing diaryl ethers in good to excellent yields. The effectiveness of this reaction was further revealed by compatibility with a wide range of functional groups. Moreover, the procedure is rendered simple as this transformation is carried out in the presence of air. Thus, the protocol represents a facile, economical and eco-friendly procedure to access diaryl ethers. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.