A new Fe-or Co-catalyzed Cl/Zn-exchange reaction allows the direct transformation of aryl, heteroaryl, and also alkyl chlorides into the corresponding zinc reagents. The method tolerates functional groups such as a nitrile or an ester. Remarkably, secondary and tertiary alkyl chlorides are suitable substrates for the Cl/Zn exchange.
[Lipshutz, Bruce H.; Huang, Shenlin; Leong, Wendy Wen Yi; Zhong, Guofu; Isley, Nicholas A. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2012 , vol. 134, # 49 p. 19985 - 19988]