Grignard reagents, benzyl, reaction with

Although benzylpyridinium chloride gives benzyl sulphide with sodium sulphide 73 j it did not benzylate Grignard reagents . The reaction in which an alkylpyridinium salt is converted into a pyridine by being heated with triethanolamine presumably belongs in the present class, but the second product, possibly the alternative quarternary salt, has not been identified . 

Solvent Preparation. The most critical aspect of the solvent is that it must be dry (less than 0.02 wt % of H2O) and free of O2. If the H2O content is above 0.02 wt %, then the reaction of Mg and RX does not initiate, except for an extremely reactive RX species, such as benzyl bromide. Although adventitious O2 does not retard the initiation process, the O2 reacts with the Grignard reagent to form a RMg02X species. Furthermore, upon hydrolysis, the oxidized Grignard reagent forms a ROH species that may cause purification problems. 

Pyrroles do not react with alkyl halides in a simple fashion polyalkylated products are obtained from reaction with methyl iodide at elevated temperatures and also from the more reactive allyl and benzyl halides under milder conditions in the presence of weak bases. Alkylation of pyrrole Grignard reagents gives mainly 2-alkylated pyrroles whereas N-alkylated pyrroles are obtained by alkylation of pyrrole alkali-metal salts in ionizing solvents. 

The reaction has been applied to nonheterocyclic aromatic compounds Benzene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene have been alkylated with alkyllithium reagents, though the usual reaction with these reagents is 12-20, and Grignard reagents have been used to alkylate naphthalene. The addition-elimination mechanism apparently applies in these cases too. A protected form of benzaldehyde (protected as the benzyl imine) has been similarly alkylated at the ortho position with butyl-lithium. ... 

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