Palladium-catalyzed reactions of arylindium reagents prepared directly from aryl iodides and indium metal.

Treatment of aryl iodides with indium metal in the presence of lithium chloride leads to the formation of an organoindium reagent capable of participating in cross-coupling reactions under transition-metal catalysis. Combination with aryl halides in the presence of 5 mol % Cl2Pd(dppf) furnishes biaryl compounds in good yields; similarly, reaction with acyl halides or allylic acetates/carbonates in the presence of 5-10 mol % palladium catalyst leads to arylketones and allylic substitution products, respectively, in moderate yields. The reactions are tolerant of the presence of protic solvents, and approximately 85% of the indium metal employed can be recovered by reduction of the residual indium salts with zinc(0).