Direct Insertion of Magnesium

Direct insertion of Magnesium into Organic Halides... 

During the preparation of allylic zinc reagents, the formation of Wurtz-coupling products may be observed, especially if the intermediate allylic radical is well stabilized. However, the direct insertion of zinc foil to allyl bromide in THF at 5 C is one of the best methods for preparing an allylic anion equivalent. Allylic zinc reagents are more convenient to prepare and to handle than their magnesium and lithium counterparts... 

Scheme 1 Direct synthesis of Grignard reagents via insertion of magnesium into a carbon-halogen bond yielding OTganomagnesium halides...

Unsubstituted vinyl-lithium and vinyl Grignard 14 reagents can be made directly from the halide by oxidative insertion of Li(0) and Mg(0). Vinyl-lithium is available as a 2M solution in THF from Alfa and vinyl magnesium bromide, which must be prepared in THF, is available in THF from Aldrich. These are quite stable o-complexes because alkenyl anions are more stable than saturated alkyl anions. They add as nucleophiles to carbonyl groups, e.g. cyclobutanone to give 15 and prefer direct to conjugate addition with enones to give e.g. 13. We have already used them in enone synthesis (chapter 5). 

A large variety of quasi-reference electrodes have been used based on metal wires such as silver [40], platinum [41], aluminium [42], tungsten [43], magnesium [44], etc. Typically electrodes are placed directly into the IL solution or separated from the main solution inside a fritted glass tube/compart-ment. In order to minimise liquid junction potentials in the latter case, the same ionic liquids as per the measurements is used as electrolyte. It is the authors experience that separation of the quasi-reference electrode allows for a reduction in potential drift when compared to direct insertion into the electrochemical cell. 

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