Patent ID: 6888029

Claim:
A method represented by Scheme 1: wherein X represents I, Br, Cl, alkylsulfonate, or arylsulfonate; Ar represents optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl; catalyst consists essentially of a Group 8 atom or ion; and at least one carbene-containing ligand; base represents a phosphate, carbonate, bicarbonate, fluoride, tertiary amine, or hydride; R represents alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, formyl, acyl, â€”CO 2 alkyl, â€”CO 2 aryl, â€”CO 2 aralkyl, â€”N(Râ€²)acyl, â€”N(Râ€²)C(O)Oalkyl, â€”N(Râ€²)C(O)Oaryl, â€”N(Râ€²)C(O)Oaralkyl, â€”Nâ•C(alkyl) 2 , or â€”Nâ•C(aryl) 2 ; Râ€² represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, formyl, acyl, or amino; R and Râ€² taken together may represent C(alkyl) 2 , or =C(aryl) 2 ; and R and Râ€² are optionally connected by a covalent bond to form a cyclic structure which incorporates the amine nitrogen.