5-Iodouracil and 6-iodopurine derivatives readily insert zinc dust (25 degrees C or 70 degrees C) in THF or DMAC affording zincated nucleic acid base derivatives which undergo efficient palladium catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with aryl iodides in good yields. This reaction sequence has been extended to two nucleosides (a purine and an uridine derivative). Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd