Harnessing Organopotassium Reagents for Cross-Coupling with YPhos-Pd Catalysts: Opportunities, Applications, and Challenges

With advances in the applications of earth-abundant organopotassium reagents in C-C bond forming processes, this study pioneers Pd-catalyzed cross coupling reactions between aryl halides and a range of aryl and benzylpotassium species generated by direct C-H metalation. Key for the success of this approach is the use of electron-rich ylide-substituted phosphine (YPhos) ligands, which enable fast conversion of the potassium species in solution. This protocol can be carried out in a one-pot manner at room temperature, without the need for purification of the in situ prepared organopotassium compounds or any additional additives, enabling the isolation of a broad scope of coupling products even on a gram-scale.