Reaction of Halothane with sec-butyllithium in the presence of zinc halides—one-pot preparation of chlorodifluorovinylzinc reagent and its derivatization to α-chloro-β,β-difluorostyrene

Halothane, 2-bromo-2-chloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane, reacts with sec-butyllithium in the presence of zinc halides to afford a chlorodifluorovinylzinc reagent. This zinc reagent reacts with aryl halides in the presence of a palladium catalyst to give chlorodifluorostyrene derivatives in moderate to good yields.