Palladium-catalyzed coupling of thiol esters with aryl and primary and secondary alkyl organoindium reagents.

Thiol esters and organoindium reagents undergo palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling under mild conditions to give ketones in moderate to excellent yields. Aryl and primary/secondary alkyl organoindium reagents can be used as coupling partners. This method has two advantages over the cross-coupling of thiol esters with boron and tin reagents: (1) no added copper reagent is required to mediate the reaction and (2) for the case of alkyl transfer, no added base is required to activate organoindium reagents for cross-coupling as is required for the coupling of alkyl boron reagents with thiol esters.