Structure–kinetic relationship study of organozinc reagents

Phenylzinc reagents prepared from various zinc halides show distinct kinetic features in the palladium-catalyzed Negishi-type oxidative coupling reaction, in which the phenylzinc reagent prepared from ZnI2 gives the highest rate. In situ infrared and X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies show that the higher reaction rate was observed for longer Zn-C bond distances.