The 751 process will generally go smoother with a finalized divorce over a pending one.

Timing matters.

In some states, one way to speed up the divorce process is to move to bifurcate it. Bifurcation will dissolve the marriage before others aspects of the divorce, such as property allocation, are resolved. Consult with a matrimonial lawyer in your state to see if this is a possible/sensible strategy for you.