Barbier reaction, and

Blomberg, G. The Barbier Reaction and Related One-step Processes Springer Berlin, 1998. 

C. Blomberg, The Barbier Reaction and Related One-Step Processes, (Reactivity and Structure. Concepts in Organic Chemistry, Vol 31), Springer Verlag, Berlin-New York (1993)... 

Commercial ordinary zinc is generally poorly reactive due to the inertness of the oxide passivation layer, its compactness, and adherence to the underlying metal.11 The Barbier reaction (and others) requires activation which can be accomplished by several methods. 

Blomberg, C. The Barbier reaction and related one-step processes. Springer-Ver-lag Berlin, 1993. 

In the last 10 years, the Barbier reaction method has been utilized more with other metals than with magnesium. The number of papers published on the lithium-Barbier reaction is three to four times that of magnesium [149-157]. Reactions can be carried out at lower temperatures than possible with Mg-Barbier reactions and yields are often very high with fewer by-products. Other metals of note are samarium, in the form of its diiodide [158-165], and zine [166-169], the metal of choice for the pre-Barbier one-step reaction, and the classic Reformatsky reaction. In situ reactions have been reported for A1 [170], Ce [171], Cd [172,173], Ga [174], Hg [175], In [176], Mn [177], Pb [178-180], Sb [181-183], Sn [184,185], and Ti [186]. An excellent paper by Li reviews the Barbier reactions of many metals in aqueous media [187]. 

Curiously, the relative stereochemistry between the carboxylate and the adjacent hydroxy group in the Sml2-mediated intramolecular pinacolic coupling reaction is opposite to that observed in the intramolecular Barbier reactions and ketone-alkene reductive coupling reactions discussed previously (compare... 

Stypodiol, epistypodiol and stypotriol are secondary diterpene metabolites produced by the tropical brown algae Stypopodium zonaie. These compounds display diverse biological properties, including strong toxic, narcotic, and hyperactive effects upon the reef-dwelling fish. In the laboratory of A. Abad an efficient stereoselective synthesis of stypodiol and its C14 epimer, epistypodiol, was accomplished from (S)-(+)-carvone. The key transformations in the synthesis of these epimeric compounds were an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, a sonochemical Barbier reaction and an acid-catalyzed quinol-tertiary alcohol cyclization. 

For the use of indium catalyzed reactions in organic synthesis, see (a) Chauhan, K.K. Frost, C.G. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 2000, 3015. For a list of reagents used in this type of reaction, see (b) Smith, M.B. March, J. March s Advanced Organic Chemistry, 5th ed. Wiley New York, 2001, pp 1205-1211. (c) For reactions of this type, see Reference 26, pp 1126-1133. Also see (d) Blomberg, C. Reactions and Structure. Concepts in Organic Chemistry, Vol. 31. The Barbier Reaction and Related One-Step Processes, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1993. 

The mechanism of both the Barbier reaction and the Grignard Reaction have been extensively studied. It is believed that this reaction occurs at least partially via SET, as illustrated here. ... 

Beside the reactions which he directly studied, Dreyfuss also compared the effectiveness of the two different reaction procedures, i.e. the one-step Barbier reaction and the two-step method via the Gilman-McGlumphy reagent, for the synthesis of l,5-hexadien-3-ol. 

As for the names of these reactions with metals, other than magnesium, it has already been stated in Chapter One that preference will be given to the name Barbier-type reaction instead of simply Barbier reaction. Furthermore the name of each individual metal will be included in the indication of the processes hence there will be mention of Li-Barbier reactions, Zn-Barbier reactions and so on. 

However, not only starting problems were encountered in Barbier reactions and other organometallic reactions. Problems could also arise from, e.g. an uncontrolled addition of the reagents to the metal magnesium in a Barbier reaction (Table 2.24, Sect. 2.4.4, p. 66 see also the discussion of these reactions in Sect.4.4.2,p. 156). Such reaction conditions caused the formation of unexpected and often also undesired sideproducts. 

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