Organozinc Chemistry Enabled by Micellar Catalysis. Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Couplings between Alkyl and Aryl Bromides in Water at Room Temperature.

Negishi-like cross-couplings between (functionalized) alkyl and aryl bromides are described. Despite the fact that organozinc reagents are intolerant of water, their formation as well as their use in an aqueous micellar environment is discussed herein. Each component of this complex series of events leading up to C-C bond formation has an important role which has been determined insofar as the type of zinc, amine ligand, surfactant, and palladium catalyst are concerned. In particular, the nature of the surfactant has been found to be crucial in order to obtain synthetically useful results involving highly reactive, moisture-sensitive organometallics. Neither organic solvent nor heat is required for these cross-couplings to occur; just add water.