Process for preparing biaryl compounds

A process for the preparation of 2-(4'-methylphenyl) benzonitrile comprising reacting a 4-methylphenylmagnesium reagent with a 2-halobenzonitrile in the presence of a catalyst system a consistently essentially of a catalyst selected from nickel catalysts and palladium catalysts and a zinc cocatalyst, and wherein the cocatalyst is present at a mole ratio of cocatalyst to 4-methylphenyl magnesium reagent of less than 1:4 and the mole ratio of cocatalyst to catalyst is in the range of 25:1 to 1:1.

In the process for the preparation of biaryl compounds by reacting an arylmetal reagent selected for arylmagnesium reagents and aryllithium reagents with an arylhalide in the presence of a catalyst selected from nickel catalysts and palladium catalysts, the improvement wherein the reaction mixture further consists essentially of a cocatalyst selected from zinc cocatalysts and cadmium cocatalysts, said cocatalyst being present at a mole ratio of cocatalyst to arylmetal reagent of less than 1:4 and with the mole ratio of cocatalyst to catalyst being in the range of 25:1 to 1:1.