Suzuki reaction
Transmetalation is often used as a step in the catalytic cycles of cross-coupling reactions. Some of the cross-coupling reactions that include a transmetalation step are Stille cross-coupling, Suzuki cross-coupling, Sonogashira cross-coupling, and Negishi cross-coupling. The most useful cross-coupling catalysts tend to be ones that contain palladium. Cross-coupling reactions have the general form of R′–X + M–R → R′–R + M–X and are used to form C–C bonds. R and R′ can be any carbon fragment. The identity of the metal, M, depends on which cross-coupling reaction is being used. Stille reactions use tin, Suzuki reactions use boron, Sonogashira reactions use copper, and Negishi reactions use zinc. The transmetalation step in palladium catalyzed reactions involve the addition of an R–M compound to produce an R′–Pd–R compound. Cross-coupling reactions have a wide range of applications in synthetic chemistry including the area of medicinal chemistry. The Stille reaction has been used to make an antitumor agent, (±)-"epi"-jatrophone; the Suzuki reaction has been used to make an antitumor agent, oximidine II; the Sonogashira reaction has been used to make an anticancer drug, eniluracil; and the Negishi reaction has been used to make the carotenoid β-carotene via a transmetalation cascade.