Alkynylation of benzonitriles via nickel catalyzed C–C bond activation

The scope of synthetically useful nickel catalyzed cross coupling reactions of benzonitriles has now been expanded to allow alkynylation. Thus, the cross coupling of benzonitriles with alkynylzinc reagents occurs readily in the presence of Ni/PMe3 based catalysts to afford the respective aryl alkynes in high yields.