A palladium-catalyzed, silver-mediated Heck coupling between arylvinyl MIDA boronate esters and aryl iodides is disclosed. The reaction provides an efficient and modular access to a range of 1,1-diaryl alkenyl MIDA boronates that can be easily transformed into triarylethylene compounds through a Suzuki coupling.

A cobalt-catalyzed cross-coupling between α-bromo amides and Grignard reagents is disclosed. The reaction is general and allows access to a large variety of α-aryl and β,γ-unsaturated amides. Some mechanistic investigations have been undertaken to determine the nature of the intermediate species.