Ethyl (trialkylstannyl) diazoacetates have been employed as substrates in the Stille reaction. The palladium (0)-catalyzed cross coupling works well with aryl iodides but not with acyl or aryl chlorides. Bis-[ethoxycarbonyl-diazomethyl]-mercury showed high reactivity toward bromoacetyl bromide furnishing ethyl 4-bromo-2-diazo-3-oxo-butanoate in excellent yield. This compound was used in substitution reactions with a variety of nucleophiles. The base ...