Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction using arylgermanium sesquioxide

Powdery reagents obtained by complete alkaline hydrolysis of arylgermanium trichlorides were found to undergo the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction with aryl bromides and iodides in good yields. The reaction is performed in an aqueous medium taking sodium hydroxide as an activator. Some base-sensitive functionalities such as acetyl and trifluoromethyl groups survived the reaction.