We developed a chromium-catalyzed, photochemical, and linear-selective alkylation of aldehydes with alkylzirconium species generated in situ from a wide range of alkenes and Schwartz’s reagent. Photochemical homolysis of the C–Zr bond afforded alkyl radicals, which were then trapped by a chromium complex catalyst to generate the alkylchromium(III) species for polar addition to aldehydes. The reaction
Halogen-magnesium exchange of various aryl halides is achieved with a magnesium ate complex at low temperatures; Tributylmagnesate ((Bu3MgLi)-Bu-n) induces facile iodine-magnesium exchange at -78 degreesC. Dibutylisopropylmagnesate ((PrBu2MgLi)-Pr-i-Bu-n) is more reactive than (Bu3MgLi)-Bu-n, and this reagent accomplishes selective bromine-magnesium exchange at -78 degreesC. This procedure is utilized for the preparation of various polyfunctionalized arylmagnesium species. The exchange of alkenyl halides using this method proceeds with retention of configuration of the double bond.
Preparation of Highly Functionalized Grignard Reagents by an Iodine-Magnesium Exchange Reaction and its Application in Solid-Phase Synthesis
At -40°C aryl iodides that contain other functional groups can be selectively converted into Grignard reagents, which react with electrophiles such as benzaldehyde in the usual manner [Eq. (a)]. Aryl bromides and iodides that are immobilized as esters on a Wang resin behave analogously.