Salt-stabilized alkylzinc pivalates: versatile reagents for cobalt-catalyzed selective 1,2-dialkylation

The construction of Csp³-Csp³ bonds through Negishi-type reactions using alkylzinc reagents as the pronucleophiles is of great importance for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. However, the use of air and moisture sensitive solutions of conventional alkylzinc halides, which show unsatisfying reactivity and limitation of generality in twofold Csp³-Csp³ cross-couplings, still represents drawbacks. We herein report the first preparation of solid and salt-stabilized alkylzinc pivalates by OPiv-coordination, which exhibit enhanced stability and a distinct advantage of reacting well in cobalt-catalyzed difluoroalkylation-alkylation of dienoates, thus achieving the modular and site-selective installation of CF₂- and Csp³-groups across double bonds in a stereoretentive manifold. This reaction proceeds under simple and mild conditions and features broad substrate scope and functional group compatibility. Kinetic experiments highlight that OPiv-tuning on the alkylzinc pivalates is the key for improving their reactivity in twofold Csp³-Csp³ cross-couplings. Furthermore, facile modifications of bioactive molecules and fluorinated products demonstrate the synthetical utility of our salt-stabilized alkylzinc reagents and cobalt-catalyzed alkyldifluoroalkylation protocol.