Direct preparation of 3-thienyl organometallic reagents: 3-thienylzinc and 3-thienylmagnesium iodides and 3-thienylmanganese bromides and their coupling reactions

3-Thienylzinc and 3-thienylmagnesium iodides can be generated from the direct oxidative addition of Rieke zinc and magnesium to 3-iodothiophene, respectively. The direct preparation of 3-thienylmanganese bromides from the reaction of Rieke manganese with 3-bromothiophene and 3,4-dibromothiophene is also performed. These 3-thienyl organometallic reagents have been found to be regiostable intermediates and undergo coupling reactions with a variety of versatile electrophiles such as acid chlorides, aryl iodides, aldehydes, and disulfide.