A novel procedure for the preparation of zinc reagents: a practical synthesis of (+)-biotin

The use of bromine for activation of zinc dust allowed smooth and reproducible reduction of iodide 1 to the corresponding zinc reagent 2. The zinc reagent 2 obtained by the present protocol was allowed to the Fukuyama coupling reaction with thiolactone 3 to provide a key intermediate 4 for (+)-biotin in high yield using a reasonably fair amount of 1 (1.4 equiv).