TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Compounds: The second reagent is a copper 0, copper I, copper II, or copper III complex; or a palladium II or palladium IV complex including PdX2, PdX2L2, PdX2L4, or PdX4Y2Z2.X=anion;L=neutral group;Y=cation; andZ=anion.It may be K2PdCl6, Na2PdCl6, (NH4)2PdCl6, PdCl2, PdBr2, Pd(CN)2, PdI2, PdO, PdO.xH2O, PdS, (NH4)2PdCl4, Pd(NO3)2.xH2O, PdSO4.H2O, K2PdBr4, K2PdCl4, Na2PdCl4, K2Pd(S2O3)2.H2O, Pd(NH3)2(NO2)2, Pd(NH3)2(NO3)2, or (Pd(NH3)4)(PdCl4). The solvent may be water. The reaction mixture further comprises a base, preferably potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydride (NaH). Preferred Property: The reaction mixture has a pH of greater than or equal to7.Preferred Composition: The reaction mixture comprises not more than 0.5 wt.% added acid.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Compounds: The second reagent may be Pd(OAc)2, Pd(acac)2, Pd(O2CCF3)2, C3H5PdCl2, (CH3CO2)2Pd(P(C6H5)3)2, Pd(NH3)2C2, PdCl2(CH3CN)2, PdCl2(P(C6H5)3)2, PdCl2(C6H5CN)2, Pd(O2CC2C2H5)2, PdCl2(P(C6H11)3)2, PdCl2(P(C6H5)3)2, PdCl2(P(CH3C6H5)3)2, Pd(BF4)2(CH3CN)4, trans-di(mu-acetato)bis(o-(di-o-tolyl-phosphino)benzyl)dipalladium, dichloro(1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane)palladium (II), dichloro(1,1'-bis-(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene)palladium (II) dichloromethane adduct, palladium (II) hexafluoroacetylacetonate, dichloro(1,5-cyclooctadiene)palladium (II), ammonium bis(oxalato)palladium (II), dichloro(ethylenediamine)palladium (II), bis(pyridine)palladium (II) chloride, chloro(di-2-norbornylphosphino)(2-dimethylaminomethylferrocen-1-yl)palladium (II), chloro(di-2-norbornylphosphino)(2'-dimethylamino-1,1'-biphenyl-2-yl)palladium (II), dichloro(1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane)palladium (II), bis(tris(4-(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl)phenyl)phosphine)palladium (II) dichloride, benzylbis(triphenylphosphine)palladium (II) chloride, (bicyclo(2.2.1)hepta-2,5-diene)dichloropalladium (II), ((2S,3S)-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane) (eta3-allyl) palladium (II) perchlorate, acetato(2'-di-t-butylphosphino-1,1'-biphenyl-2-yl)palladium (II), or allylchloro(1,3-bis(2,6-di-isopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene)palladium (II). The solvent may be alcohol solvent, ethereal solvent or tetrahydrofuran. It may be ethanol.Preferred Method: The condensing step is carried out in the presence of an oxidizing agent, preferably ambient oxygen. It is carried out at 0-150degreesC for 1-60 minutes.