Reactivezincmetal can be prepared by the electrolysis of a DMF solution containing Et4NClO4 with a platinum cathode and a zinc anode. The reaction of 2-bromomethyl-1, 4-dibromo-2-butene (1) with aldehydes or ketones in the presence of the electrogenarated reactivezinc (EGZn) in DMF at 0 °C gave the corresponding isoprenylated alcohols (3a-3n) in good yields.
The reaction of 2-(1,3-butadienyl)magnesiumchloride (1) with aldehydes and ketones afforded a mixture of 1,3-dienyl alcohol (3) and 1,2-dienyl alcohol (4). The selective formation of another 1,3-dienyl alcohol (6) was observed when the Grignard reagent (1) was treated with epoxides. The latter reaction was applied to the synthesis of the sex attractant of a bark beetle.