New Efficient Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reaction between Two Csp(3) Centers.

The presence of a remote unsaturation (double bond, carbonyl group, cyano group) in an alkyl halide facilitates its cross-coupling reaction with various diorganozincs in the presence of Ni(acac)(2) (7.5-10 mol % in THF/NMP mixtures). These results were used to develop a new general cross-coupling reaction between functionalized diorganozincs and alkyl iodides using m- or p-trifluoromethylstyrene as a reaction promotor and Ni(acac)(2) as a catalyst (7.5-10 mol %; -35 degrees C, 5-10 h) leading to a broad range of polyfunctional cross-coupling products.