TMPZnOPiv•LiCl: a new base for the preparation of air-stable solid zinc pivalates of sensitive aromatics and heteroaromatics.

A wide range of aryl and heteroaryl zinc pivalates bearing sensitive functionalities were prepared by selective metalation using TMPZnOPiv•LiCl, a new hindered zinc amide base. The new zinc reagents are easy-to-handle solids, which maintain their activity almost entirely (>95%) after 4 h of air exposure and smoothly undergo Negishi cross-couplings and reactions with various electrophiles such as Cu(I)-catalyzed acylations and allylations.