Careful addition of 1,3-dibromopropane to magnesium in Et2O yields 1,3-bis(bromomagnesio)propane which is purified via “magnesacyclobutane” . Reactions of with H2O, CO2, HgBr2 and Me3SnCl are reported. MgBr2 catalyses the decomposition of to allylmagnesiumbromide .