Abstract: A workload scheduler supporting an efficient distribution and balancing of the workload is proposed. The scheduler maintains (383-386) a profile for each job; the profile (build using statistics of previous executions of the job) defines an estimated usage of different resources of the system by the job. The scheduler tends to select (318-342) the jobs with complementary resource requirements (according to a combination of their attributes); this process can be carried out using either a heuristic approach (318-334) or an optimization approach (335-342). As a result, the jobs that will be submitted are very likely to consume different resources of the system; in this way, any contention for the different resources is strongly reduced.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of arylpyridine compounds by aryl-aryl cross-coupling reactions between a halopyridine and an arylmagnesium halide carried out in the presence of a catalytic amount of a zinc salt and a catalytic amount of palladium. The zinc salt is preferably selected from ZnCl2, ZnBr2 and/or Zn(OAc)2, while the palladium is preferably used in the form of Pd(PPh3)4 or Pd(OAc)2 +4 PPh3. The reaction can also be carried out in the presence of bidentate phosphines, such as, for example, 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphine)propane or 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphine)-butane. It is thus possible to obtain molar yields higher than 97% (calculated relative to the halopyridine) and a catalyticity of more than 2000.