Nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of unactivated alkyl halides and tosylate carrying a functional group with alkyl and phenyl Grignard reagents

By the use of catalytic amounts of a nickel salt and a 1,3-butadiene, primary and secondary alkyl Grignard reagents undergo cross-coupling with alkyl bromides, iodide, and tosylate carrying a functional group such as amide, ester, and ketone at 0 degrees C in THF. The present procedure provides a simple, convenient, and practical method for construction of carbon chains in the presence of various functional groups. PhMgBr also gave the corresponding coupling product in a moderate yield. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.