Reactions of difluorocarbene with benzyl and alkylzinc halides leading to fluorinated organozinc species have been described. The generated α-difluorinated organozinc reagents are reasonably stable in solution and can be quenched with external electrophiles (iodine, bromine, proton), affording compounds containing the CF2 fragment.
[Thompson, Andrew M.; Delaney, Amy M.; Hamby, James M.; Schroeder, Mel C.; Spoon, Teresa A.; Crean, Sheila M.; Showalter, H. D. Hollis; Denny, William A. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2005 , vol. 48, # 14 p. 4628 - 4653]
