Nickel-Catalyzed Synthesis of Phosphonium Salts from Aryl Halides and Triphenylphosphine

An efficient method to synthesize functionalized tetraarylphosphonium salts is described. The nickel-catalyzed coupling reaction between aryl iodides, bromides, chlorides, or triflates and triphenylphosphine generates tetraarylphosphonium salts in high yields. The coupling is wide in scope and tolerates a variety of functional groups such as alcohols, amides, ketones, aldehydes, phenols, phosphines and amines.