An efficient room temperature preparation of bromo difluorovinylzinc reagent (CF2CBrZnCl) and a high yield one-pot synthesis of α-bromo-β,β-difluorostyrenes

A high yield room temperature preparation of the1-bromo-2,2-difluorovinylzinc reagent [CF2CBrZnCl] (>89%) was achieved via insitu metallation of CF3CH2Br or CF2CHBr with LDA in presence of ZnCl2. Palladium catalyzed cross-coupling of this zinc reagent with aryl iodides provides α-bromo-β,β-trifluorostyrenes (ArCBrCF2) in 64–86% isolated yields, in an essentially ‘one-pot’ procedure.