The coupling of primary and secondary unactivated alkyl bromides with alkyl-Grignard reagents was performed in good yields under mild conditions by using a new catalytic system: consisting of cobalt chloride and tetramethylethylenediamine (CoCl2⋅2 LiI, 4 TMEDA). The reaction is very chemoselective since ketone, ester and nitrile functions are tolerated.
Electroreduction of nitriles gave the corresponding decyanated products when Zn was used as the material of cathode in aprotic solvent (DMF or MeCN) containing Et4NOTs as a supporting electrolyte. Alkylation of amines at the α-position was effectively achieved by cyanation of amines at the α-position, and α-alkylation of the resultant α-amino nitriles followed by the electroreductive decyanation.