Alkyl dihalides, reductive 1,3-elimination

Alkenes are obtained by the transformation of various functional groups, e.g. dehydration of alcohols (see Section 5.4.3), dehalogenation of alkyl halides (see Section 5.4.5) and dehalogenation or reduction of alkyl dihalides (see Section 5.4.5). These reactions are known as elimination reactions. An elimination reaction results when a proton and a leaving group are removed from adjacent carbon atoms, giving rise to a tt bond between the two carbon atoms. 

Reductive 1,3-elimination reaction of alkyl dihalides constitutes one of the classical methods for the preparation of cyclopropyl derivatives and is particularly useful for the synthesis of highly strained polycyclic hydrocarbons. A new preparation method of [l.l.ljpropellane, more versatile than the original Wiberg s method, has been devised3,4. Thus, treatment of l,l-dibromo-2,2-bis(chloromethyl)cyclopropane with alkyllithium or lithium powder affords [1.1. ljpropellane by two successive 1,3-eliminations of halogens by way of 1 -bromo-2-(chloromethyl)bicyclo[l. 1. Ojbutane (equation 1). This method has been... 

This chapter surveys the reduction of saturated alkyl halides to alkanes. Reductive -eliminations of vicinal dihalides to alkenes are also described briefly. Reduction of vinyl and aryl halides is covered in this volume. Chapter 4.5 hydrogenolysis of allyl and benzyl halides is covered in this volume. Chapter 4.7, and reduction of a-halo-substituted carbonyl compounds CX—CO to carbonyl compounds CH—CO is covered in this volume. Chapter 4.8. 

Cathodic elimination can remove a variety of vicinal nucleophiles (X = Br [140], Cl [141], S-C6H5 [142], or oxalate [143]) to form a double bond. Controlled potential cathodic reduction allows the selective elimination of vic-dihalides depending on the degree of alkylation [144]. Chemically, these reductions are more limited in scope they can be conducted with 1 in DMF, with Zn, Mg, or Cr + [145]. 

Dihalides did not give the bis-alkylated compounds owing to elimination or reduction of the halide moiety [27]. A stepwise reaction was also possible [Eq. (20) 27,52,53]. 

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