Preparation of functionalized Zn and Mg-organometallics. Application to the performance of diastereoselective cross-couplings

This review describes two general approaches for preparing functionalized Zn- and Mg-organometallics. The first method starts from unsaturated halides (X = Cl, Br, I) and involves a direct insertion of Zn or Mg powder in the presence of LiCl. The second method uses aromatic, heterocyclic or olefinic precursors and converts them with LiCl-solubilized bases directly via C–H activation to the corresponding organometallics.