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
iodoalkanes with PhSiH3 in THF at 70 °C gave dehalogenated alkanes in good to high yields. In the presence of Et3B and air, the reduction proceeded smoothly at 30 °C. When 2,6-lutidine and air were used as additives, the In(OAc)3-catalyzed system enabled an efficient reduction of simple and functionalized iodoalkanes in EtOH. Catalytic use of GaCl3 was found to be effective in the reduction of haloalkanes