Indium reagents

 

Sensitive functional groups such as COR, CHO, or CH2OH can be present in benzylic indium reagents prepared by the direct insertion of indium in the presence of LiCl. These reagents undergo palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in the presence of a protic cosolvent after activation with iPrMgClLiCl (see scheme). Remarkable chemoselectivities are achieved by using various electrophiles containing NH or OH groups.


Sensitive functional groups, including ketone, aldehyde, and ester groups, may be present in aryl indium reagents prepared in good to excellent yields by the treatment of aryl and heteroaryl iodides with indium powder in the presence of LiCl (see example). These functionalized organoindium(III) reagents readily undergo Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling with functionalized aryl iodides, including those containing NH or OH groups.