Cobalt-Xantphos-catalyzed, LiCl-mediated preparation of arylzinc reagents from aryl iodides, bromides, and chlorides.

A cobalt-Xantphos-catalyzed, LiCl-mediated system has been developed for the direct and expedient preparation of arylzinc reagents in THF from the corresponding aryl iodides, bromides, and chlorides. Owing to the use of THF as a versatile solvent, the thus-formed arylzinc reagents displayed a high degree of compatibility with a variety of conventional as well as newly emerging metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions.