Aldehydes, halogenation more reactive than ketones

There is no doubt that aldehydes are more reactive than ketones toward nucleophiles. However, both carbonyl substrates are functionalized by activated nucleophiles e.g. RLi or RMgX (X=halogen), with poor chemoselectivity. For example, benzaldehyde is not a dominant species to be alkylated in the coexistence of acetophenone. Reetz and co-workers addressed these difficulties by systematic studies on ligand effects in carbonyl addition reactions of RMgL (L=relatively bulky ligand) [31]. Upon reacting a 1 1 mixture of PhCHO and PhCOMe with 1 equiv of RMgL in a competition experiment, the aldehyde reacted essentially exclusively to form adduct 2-H (Table 2-2, entries 2-A). 

Aldehydes are more reactive than ketones halogen substituents increase reactivity. 

Methylenesulphones are more acidic than the simple esters, ketones and cyano compounds and are more reactive with haloalkanes [e.g. 48-57] to yield precursors for the synthesis of aldehydes [53], ketones [53], esters [54] and 1,4-diketones [55] (Scheme 6.4). The early extractive alkylation methods have been superseded by solidtliquid phase-transfer catalytic methods [e.g. 58] and, combined with microwave irradiation, the reaction times are reduced dramatically [59]. The reactions appear to be somewhat sensitive to steric hindrance, as the methylenesulphones tend to be unreactive towards secondary haloalkanes and it has been reported that iodomethylsulphones cannot be dialkylated [49], although mono- and di-chloromethylsulphones are alkylated with no difficulty [48, 60] and methylenesulphones react with dihaloalkanes to yield cycloalkyl sulphones (Table 6.5 and 6.6). When the ratio of dihaloalkane to methylene sulphone is greater than 0.5 1, open chain systems are produced [48, 49]. Vinyl sulphones are obtained from the base-catalysed elimination of the halogen acid from the products of the alkylation of halomethylenesulphones [48]. 

This cyclization is a reaction developed by Mori, who carried out a series of investigations with tin reagent 33. Fluoride is a much more reactive anion for initiation than any of the other halides, although it often leads to decomposition of the starting materials. In the case of vinylic or aryl halogen compounds the iodides are easier to transform than the bromides, and chlorides are unrcactive. The carbonyl group can be derived from either an aldehyde or a ketone, and even esters are sufficiently electrophilic.22... 

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