Using a combination of Kumada, Suzuki and Biellmann chemistry, various menaquinones can synthesised rapidly and with stereochemical integrity offering a new way of preparing these vitamin K2 components for the pharmaceutical market. In one embodiment a process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I)

##STR00001## is defined including a step in which (i) a compound of formula (II) is reacted with a compound of formula (III)

##STR00002## wherein R is an alkyl group; LG is a leaving group; m is an integer from 0 to 8; n is an integer of from 0 to 9; and X is hydrogen, halide, hydroxyl or protected hydroxyl; in the presence of a copper, nickel or palladium catalyst.

Using a combination of Kumada, Suzuki and Biellmann chemistry, various menaquinones can synthesised rapidly and with stereochemical integrity offering a new way of preparing these vitamin K2 components for the pharmaceutical market. In one embodiment a process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I)

##STR00001## is defined including a step in which (i) a compound of formula (II) is reacted with a compound of formula (III)

##STR00002## wherein R is an alkyl group; LG is a leaving group; m is an integer from 0 to 8; n is an integer of from 0 to 9; and X is hydrogen, halide, hydroxyl or protected hydroxyl; in the presence of a copper, nickel or palladium catalyst.

Disclosed are a method for producing a highly reactive intermediate, which comprises: preparing an electron-accepting active compound (1), preparing a piezoelectric material (3), and applying mechanical strain to the piezoelectric material (3) in the presence of the electron-accepting active compound (1) and the piezoelectric material (3), and subjecting the compound (1) to one-electron reduction to generate a corresponding highly reactive intermediate; a redox reaction method using the method for producing the same; and a method for producing a redox reaction product.

Disclosed are a method for producing a highly reactive intermediate, which comprises: preparing an electron-accepting active compound (1), preparing a piezoelectric material (3), and applying mechanical strain to the piezoelectric material (3) in the presence of the electron-accepting active compound (1) and the piezoelectric material (3), and subjecting the compound (1) to one-electron reduction to generate a corresponding highly reactive intermediate; a redox reaction method using the method for producing the same; and a method for producing a redox reaction product.

Disclosed is a cross-coupling reaction method which forms a chemical bond selected from C—N, C—B, C—C, C—O and C—S bonds, the method comprising: preparing an aromatic compound (1) having a leaving group; preparing a compound (2) capable of undergoing a cross-coupling reaction selected from an aromatic amino compound (2-1), a diboronic acid ester or the like (2-2), an aromatic boronic acid or the like (2-3), an aromatic compound (2-4) having a hydroxyl group and an aromatic compound (2-5) having a thiol group; and performing a cross-coupling reaction of the compound (1) with the compound (2) in the presence of a palladium catalyst, a base and a compound (4) having a carbon-carbon double bond or a carbon-carbon triple bond, in the absence of a solvent.

Disclosed is a cross-coupling reaction method which forms a chemical bond selected from C—N, C—B, C—C, C—O and C—S bonds, the method comprising: preparing an aromatic compound (1) having a leaving group; preparing a compound (2) capable of undergoing a cross-coupling reaction selected from an aromatic amino compound (2-1), a diboronic acid ester or the like (2-2), an aromatic boronic acid or the like (2-3), an aromatic compound (2-4) having a hydroxyl group and an aromatic compound (2-5) having a thiol group; and performing a cross-coupling reaction of the compound (1) with the compound (2) in the presence of a palladium catalyst, a base and a compound (4) having a carbon-carbon double bond or a carbon-carbon triple bond, in the absence of a solvent.

The invention relates to hydrocarbon-soluble halogen or thiolate/magnesium exchange reagents of the general formula
R.sup.1MgR.sup.1.sub.1-n(OR.sup.3).sub.n.LiOR2.(1−n)LiOR.sup.3.aDonor
in which: R.sup.1 is a C1-C8 alkyl and OR.sup.2 as well as OR.sup.3 are same or different and represent primary, secondary, or tertiary alkoxide residues having 3 to 18 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.2 and/or R.sup.3 can for their part contain an alkoxy substituent OR.sup.4; a assumes a value of 0 to 2, n assumes a value between 0 and 1, and the donor is an organic molecule containing at least 2 nitrogen atoms.

The invention relates to hydrocarbon-soluble halogen or thiolate/magnesium exchange reagents of the general formula
R.sup.1MgR.sup.1.sub.1-n(OR.sup.3).sub.n.LiOR2.(1−n)LiOR.sup.3.aDonor
in which: R.sup.1 is a C1-C8 alkyl and OR.sup.2 as well as OR.sup.3 are same or different and represent primary, secondary, or tertiary alkoxide residues having 3 to 18 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.2 and/or R.sup.3 can for their part contain an alkoxy substituent OR.sup.4; a assumes a value of 0 to 2, n assumes a value between 0 and 1, and the donor is an organic molecule containing at least 2 nitrogen atoms.

A production method by which a biarylphosphine useful as a Buchwald phosphine ligand can be obtained in high purity is provided through an industrially advantageous process. The production method of a biarylphosphine comprises a step A of reacting a lithiated product obtained through lithiation of a halogenated benzene derivative with a benzene derivative to obtain a biphenyl derivative, and a step B of the reacting the biphenyl derivative with a halogenated phosphine. In the step A, the charge molar ratio of the halogenated benzene derivative to the benzene derivative is preferably 1.0 to 5.0.

A production method by which a biarylphosphine useful as a Buchwald phosphine ligand can be obtained in high purity is provided through an industrially advantageous process. The production method of a biarylphosphine comprises a step A of reacting a lithiated product obtained through lithiation of a halogenated benzene derivative with a benzene derivative to obtain a biphenyl derivative, and a step B of the reacting the biphenyl derivative with a halogenated phosphine. In the step A, the charge molar ratio of the halogenated benzene derivative to the benzene derivative is preferably 1.0 to 5.0.