The complex with NiCl2 catalyzes the coupling of haloaromatic compounds with Grignard reagents: J. Org. Chem., 49, 478 (1984). The catalyst prepared in situ with Sodium tetrachloropalladate(II)- hydrate,catalyzes the carbonylation of allylic halides at atmospheric pressure: Chem. Lett., 1873 (1989). Useful replacement for Triphenyl-phosphine, in the Staudinger and Mitsunobu reactions, with the advantage of easier separation of the by-product bis(phosphine oxide) due to its higher polarity compared with triphenylphosphine oxide: Tetrahedron Lett., 39, 7787 (1998). Has also been used as an alternative to PPh3 for the halodehydroxylation of alcohols, e.g. in combination with Hexachloroethane, alkyl chlorides are formed; the phosphine oxide by-product can readily be separated by filtration: Tetrahedron Lett., 42, 2459 (2001).
