Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of alkynylzincs with benzylic electrophiles

The reaction of alkynylzinc bromides with benzyl bromides or chlorides in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(DPEphos)Cl2 in THF at 23 °C cleanly produces the corresponding benzylated alkynes in 73–97% yields. With 10−3 mol % of Pd(DPEphos)Cl2, the maximum turnover number of 7.1 × 104 has been observed for the formation of PhCCCH2Ph.