Organocuprates, often used in conjugate addition, epoxide opening, halide displacement and carbocupration, 6 have a relatively high-lying HOMO, which means that carbon–carbon bond synthesis by organocuprate oxidation is a relatively easy process. The oxidation of lithium organocuprates 7,8 has been handicapped, however, by the poor functional group tolerance of the organolithium precursors. We have recently shown that the functional group tolerance can be improved ...