Coupling reactions of aryl bromides with 1-alkynols catalysed by a tetraphosphine/palladium catalyst

cis,cis,cis-1,2,3,4-Tetrakis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclopentane/[PdCl(C3H5)]2 system catalyses efficiently the coupling reactions of aryl halides with a variety of alkynols such as propargyl alcohol, but-1-yn-4-ol, pent-1-yn-5-ol or hex-1-yn-6-ol. The catalyst can be used at low loading. Higher reaction rates were observed in the presence of but-1-yn-4-ol, pent-1-yn-5-ol or hex-1-yn-6-ol than with propargyl alcohol. The protection of the alcohol functions as an ether or a silyloxy group led generally to similar or better results than the reactions performed with the unprotected alcohols.