Cross-Couplings of Alkyl Electrophiles under “Ligandless” Conditions:  Negishi Reactions of Organozirconium Reagents

This report establishes that simple, “ligandless” palladium complexes can catalyze the first zirconium-Negishi reactions of alkyl electrophiles. In view of the attractiveness of ligandless catalysts (cost, simplicity, and ease of purification), these observations add a significant and intriguing new dimension to the development of effective palladium-based processes for coupling alkyl electrophiles.