Perfluoroalkyl and -aryl zinc ate complexes: generation, reactivity, and synthetic application

Abstract

A combination of dimethylzinc, perfluoroalkyl iodide, and LiCl afforded a new type of perfluoroalkyl (RF ) zinc ate complex. These complexes show much greater thermal stability than conventional perfluorinated metal species, such as RF -lithium species and Grignard reagents, and they can be used at room temperature or higher. The results of DFT calculations on the origin of the enhanced stability are reported and the synthetic utility of RF -zincate complexes is demonstrated.

Keywords: ate complexes; chemoselectivity; density functional calculations; perfluoroalkylation; zinc.