Patent ID: 7026478

Claim:
A process for producing a compound of the formula Ar—(R 1 ) p (X) n-p , said process comprising conducting a cross-coupling reaction between at least one organometallic reagent of the formula (R 1 )-M and an aromatic or heteroaromatic substrate of the formula Ar—(X) n in a reaction mixture in the presence of at least one catalyst or precatalyst comprising one or several iron salts or iron complexes containing iron in an oxidation state of −2, −1, 0, +1, +2 or +3, said iron complexes not comprising palladium, and said iron salts or iron complexes being present in the reaction mixture homogeneously or heterogeneously, wherein in said formulas: Ar represents an optionally annellated C 6 –C 30 aromatic or heteroaromatic group; each X independently represents halide, suiphonate or phosphonate; each R 1 independently represents C 1 –C 20 linear or branched alkyl, C 3 –C 20 cycloalkyl, C 6 –C 20 aryl or heteroaryl; said alkyl or aryl groups optionally being substituted by any substituent that is inert under the conditions of said reaction to (R 1 )-M;++ M represents MgZ, CaZ, ZnZ, MnZ or (ZnR 60 R 61 )MgZ; R 60 and R 61 independently represent C 1 –C 20 linear or branched alkyl, C 3 –C 10 cycloalkyl, C 6 –C 20 aryl or heteroaryl, which may be unsubstituted or substituted by any substituent which is inert under the conditions of said reaction to (ZnR 60 R 61 )MgZ; Z represents any anionic ligand; and n and peach represent at least 1 provided that if n=1, then p=1, and if n>1, then p=1 or n.