Cuprous chloride promoted coupling reaction of diethoxyphosphinyldifluoromethylcadmium reagent with aryl iodides: A practical and convenient preparation of α,α-difluoro benzylic phosphonates

The cross coupling reaction of diethoxyphosphinyldifluoromethylcadmium reagent with aryl iodides was promoted by CuCl under mild conditions to give α,α-difluoro benzylic phosphonates in good yields. A variety of functional groups, including halides, phosphonate, nitro, ketone, carboxylic acid and ester in aryl iodides, could be tolerated. This methodology has been successfully applied to prepare α,α-difluoro Fostedil 9.