“…The same procedure could be applied to the lithiated trimethylene-bridged bicyclobutane 189b to give the corresponding bis(bicyclobutyl) 191b in 61% yield. The lithiobicyclobutanes 189a , b could also be directly coupled with the corresponding chlorides 190a , b to furnish the dimethylene- and trimethylene-bridged bi(bicyclo[1.1.0]butyl)s 191a , b in good yield. 134a,b However, the latter procedure required a 4−6-fold excess of the lithiobicyclobutane 189 , while the oxidative coupling of the cuprates derived from 189 is significantly more efficient 134b. Presumably, the coupling of Grignard reagents derived from 189 under catalysis with [1,2-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)ethane]nickel dichloride or certain iron complexes 134c,d would be even more efficient, yet this approach has not been elaborated in detail.…”