Nickel-catalyzed Csp2-Csp3 bond formation by carbon-fluorine activation.

We report herein a general catalytic method for Csp(2)-Csp(3) bond formation through C-F activation. The process uses an inexpensive nickel complex with either diorganozinc or alkylzinc halide reagents, including those with β-hydrogen atoms. A variety of fluorine substitution patterns and functional groups can be readily incorporated. Sequential reactions involving different precatalysts and coupling partners permit the synthesis of densely functionalized fluorinated building blocks.