A novel and efficient arylation of malononitrile catalyzed by nickel(0) complexes

We report the first use of a nickel catalyst for the direct arylation of a beta -difunctionalized compound, the malononitrile, from halogenated aromatic substrates. The catalytic system is quite simple: Ni(PPh3)(3), generated in situ from NiBr2(PPh3)(2), PPh3 and zinc. Good yields and excellent selectivities have been obtained in alpha -arylmalononitriles from iodobenzene, but also from bromo- or chloro-aromatic substrates. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.