Facile synthesis and utilization of bis(o-phosphinophenyl)zinc as isolable PZnP-pincer ligands enabled by boron-zinc double transmetallation.

Bis(o-phosphinophenyl)zinc derivatives were successfully synthesized by the reaction of o-phosphinophenylboronates with dimethylzinc via boron-zinc double transmetallation. The transmetallation was significantly accelerated by the presence of the ortho PR2 substituent to give diarylzinc selectively. These organozinc compounds act as isolable phenylene-tethered PZnP-pincer ligands, affording PZnP-palladium and ruthenium complexes with a σ-accepting Zn-metalloligand.