The synthesis of 1 was achieved sta

The synthesis of 1 was achieved starting with N-benzhydrylazetidinyl-3 mesylate6(Scheme 2). Removal of the benzhydryl group with α-chloroethyl chloroformate (ACE-Cl) followed by Boc-protectionafforded N-Boc-azetidinyl-3 mesylate which reacted with KI in DMSO at elevated temperature to give 1 in good yield. We were then pleased to find that Zn insertion into the C-I bond of 1 could be achieved following the procedure described by Knochel7. Formation of the organozinc species 2 was followed by TLC and was complete after 45 min. at room temperature. This was confirmed by quenching the reaction mixture with aqueous NH4Cl followed by 1H NMR analysis of the crude organic phase showing N-Boc-azetidine as the main product. To our knowledge,Zn insertion into azacycloakyl iodides is unprecedented. Having established that we could easily prepare the organozinc reagent 2, our attention was then directed to demonstrating that it could undergo Pd(0)mediated cross-coupling reactions