Magnesiation of Electron-Rich Aryl Bromides and Their Use in Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions

Electron-rich aryl bromides are rapidly converted to the corresponding lithium triarylmagnesiates with (n-Bu)3MgLi, which undergo efficient nickel-catalyzed Kumada-Corriu cross-coupling reactions with a variety of aryl and alkenyl bromides, chlorides, tosylates, and triflates.