Palladium-catalyzed carbene insertion and trapping with carbon nucleophiles.

Palladium catalysts are shown to catalyze the three-component coupling of vinyl halides, trimethylsilyldiazomethane, and stabilized carbon nucleophiles. The reaction is believed to proceed through a palladium-carbene intermediate LX(R)PdCHSiMe 3 that undergoes migration of the vinyl substituent to the electrophilic carbene center to generate an eta 3-allylpalladium intermediate. The allylpalladium intermediate is attacked by the carbon nucleophile to generate a vinylsilane product.