The article “Unlikeliness of Pd-Free Gold(I)-Catalyzed Sonogashira Coupling Reactions” (Org. Lett., 2010, 12 (13), 3006-3009), authored by Thorsten Lauterbach, Madeleine Livendahl, Antonio Rosellón, Pablo Espinet and Antonio M. Echavarren, is among the 10 most accessed papers from Organic Letters in 2010.

Abstract: The Sonogashira coupling reaction is not catalyzed by AuI/dppe in the absence of Pd complexes. However, addition of 0.1 mol % of Pd(0) led to efficient cross-coupling reactions. The most plausible catalytic cycles for the Au-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions have been examined and are unlikely in the absence of Pd contamination.