Some macrocycles that contain sulfide and/or amino linkages as coordination sites have been examined as ligands for the nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of the Grignard reagent of 1-phenyl-1-chloroethane with vinyl bromide to provide (1-methyl-2-propenyl) benzene. The achiral macrocyclic sulfide 1, 4, 8, 11-tetrathiatetradecane (1) was shown to be as good a ligand as triphenylphosphine for this reaction; the yields with either ligand were nearly ...
