These reactions were carried out according to General Procedure B, using (PCy3)2Pd(xylyl)(I) (31.4 mg, 0.035 mmol, 1 eq.). An overlaid emission spectrum is provided below (Figure ) and a Stern-Volmer plot (Figure ) of [ArI] vs. I0/I shows that the excited state of Pd(PPh3)3 is quenched by increasing concentrations of 2-iodo-m-xylene. A 10 mL oven-dried microwave vial was cycled into a glovebox. To this was added 4,4'ditertbutylbiphenyl 15 (79.9 mg, 0.3 mmol) and potassium metal (11.7 mg, 0.3 mmol, 1 eq.). The vial was capped and removed from the glovebox, after which dry THF (1 mL) was added by syringe under a flow of argon. With stirring, a deep blue/green solution was formed rapidly. After 5 h, stirring was stopped to allow unreacted potassium metal to settle, and the solution was titrated against an I2/THF solution giving the concentration of radical anion 16 as 0.144 M (Batch 1). The reaction was repeated as above, with titration determining a concentration of 16 of 0.149 M (Batch 2). For each reaction a 10 mL oven-dried microwave vial was cycled into a glovebox. To this was added 1 (50.5 L, 0.35 mmol, 1 eq.), a base [either KO t Bu (78.6 mg, 0.7 mmol, 2 eq.) or Cs2CO3 (228.1 mg, 0.7 mmol, 2 eq.)] and benzene (2.5 mL). The vials were removed from the glovebox and either set to stir at 130 o C or under irradiation with a 456 nm Kessil lamp. After 5 min under the conditions, the 11/THF solution was added via syringe (0.4 mL, ca. 17 mol%), and allowed to react for 24 h. Workup and analysis were as described in general procedure A. Note: for the irradiated reaction, initiator was added while the solution was being irradiated behind a screen.