Iron-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Alkenyl Sulfides with Grignard Reagents

[reaction: see text] The iron-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of alkenyl sulfides with Grignard reagents is described. While the cross-coupling proceeds efficiently at alkenyl-S bonds, almost no cross-coupling takes place at aryl-S bonds, attesting to a unique selectivity of iron catalysis. The beneficial effect of potentially coordinating 2-pyrimidyl group on sulfur is also described.