Alkyl-zinc exchange

The presence of a remote C=C double bond in the alkyl halide was critical saturated analogs underwent nickel-catalyzed halogen-zinc exchange.248 It has been suggested that the double bond coordinates to the nickel atom. As a 7r-acceptor, the C=C bond removes some electron density from the metal, thus facilitating the reductive coupling (Scheme 154).246... 

It was reported that the iodine-zinc exchange process induced by treatment of alkyl iodides with EbZn could be catalyzed by Cul, leading to shorter reaction times and reduction of the amount of Et2Zn38. The use of palladium or nickel catalysts turned out to be also extremely efficient but produced an organozinc iodide instead of a dialkylzinc, with evolution of ethane and ethylene34 (equation 20). 

The iodine-zinc exchange of an alkyl iodide with EtjZn is proi oted by the addition of small amounts of copper(I) salts such as CuCN or Cul. Although the exact reason for this copper catalysis is now known, it has been speculated that the presence of copper(I) salts promotes a radical chain-reaction resulting in the formation of a dialkylzinc species (Scheme 9-32) [22b]. Similarly, the addition of other transition metals such as nickel and palladium salts promotes radical reactions. 

Knochel et al. comprehensively studied the preparation of functionahzed or-ganozinc species [32] and their application for an enantioselective alkylation of various aldehydes. An iodine-zinc exchange reaction in the presence of a cata-... 

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