Secondary alkyl bromides were reduced by diisobutylaluminum hydride and ethylmagnesium chloride in the presence of catalysts derived from chelating diphosphine complexes of palladium. Traditional palladium(0) diphosphine complexes generated by other means were not viable catalysts for the reaction in the absence of diisobutylaluminum hydride and ethylmagnesium chloride. Deuterium labeling experiments indicate that the reaction does not take place via halogen metal exchange.