In an argon atmosphere, to a solution of 15 mL of THF with 29.0 ml of 0.5 M ZnCl2 (14.5 mmol) in THF, 13.0 ml of 1.0 M phenylmagnesium bromide (13.0 mmol) in THF was added at ambient temperature. This mixture was stirred for 1 hour, and, then, 10.0 ml of 0.02 M Pd(PtBu3)2 (0.20 mmol, 4 mol. %) in THF and 2.51 g (5.0 mmol) of 2 were added. The resulting mixture was stirred for 5 hours at reflux. The product was isolated by flash chromatography on Silica Gel 60 (40-63 μm, d 30 mm, l 100 mm; eluent: hexanes). Yield 2.36 g (95%) of white solid of ca. 1 to 1 mixture of rac- and meso-compounds.
