Pure acetonitrile as solvent for the efficient electrochemical conversion of aryl bromides in organozinc species and their coupling reaction with acetyl chloride

Conversion of functionalized aryl bromides in an electrochemical cell fitted with a sacrificial anode and in the presence of cobalt bromide without ligand in acetonitrile as solvent affords the corresponding organozinc species in good yields. Their coupling with acetyl chloride is efficient using a palladium catalyst.