Organozincs for versatile synthesis of non-symmetric azoarenes.

A practical arylation of diazonium salts with diarylzinc reagents has been developed, thus affording straightforward access to non-symmetric azoarenes. Moreover, the user-friendly solid arylzinc pivalates can also undergo nucleophilic Csp 2 -N bond formation. Mild conditions, transition metal-free process, broad substrate scope and functional group compatibility illustrate the synthetic utility of the reaction.