The first preparation of the α-iodo-β,β-difluorovinylzinc reagent (CF2CIZnCl) and a high-yield one-pot synthesis of α-iodo-β,β-difluorostyrenes

The α-iodo-β,β-difluorovinylzinc reagent (CF2CIZnCl) was synthesized in >87% yield via room-temperature metallation of the commercially available CF3CH2I with LDA in the presence of ZnCl2. This novel zinc reagent upon palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling with aryl iodides produced α-iodo-β,β-trifluorostyrenes (ArCICF2) in 62-80% isolated yield.