Mischmetall, an alloy of the light lanthanides, has been used in a variety of organicreactions, either as a coreductant in samarium(II)-mediated reactions (Barbier and Grignard-type reactions, pinacoliccouplingreactions) or as the promoter of Reformatsky-type reactions. It has been also employed as the starting material for easy syntheses of lanthanide trihalides, the reactivity of which has been