Halides, aryl from organometallic compounds

Grignard reagents are a very important class of organometallic compounds. For their preparation an alkyl halide or aryl halide 5 is reacted with magnesium metal. The formation of the organometallic species takes place at the metal surface by transfer of an electron from magnesium to a halide molecule, an alkyl or aryl radical species 6 respectively is formed. Whether the intermediate radical species stays adsorbed at the metal surface (the A-modelf, or desorbs into solution (the D-model), still is in debate ... 

Such a mechanism probably is involved in the formation of organometallic compounds from aryl halides and metals. 

One requirement is diat the pKa of die new organometallic compound is lower than die pKa of die starting organometallic. This in essence means that the equilibrium is driven to products by die formation of a more stable anion. This metiiod is commonly used to make vinyl lithiums from vinyl halides and alkyl lithiums and aryl lithiums from aryl halides and alkyl litiiiums because the electron pair in an sp2 orbital of a vinyl or aryl litiiium compound is more stable than the electron pah in an sp3 orbital of an alkyl lithium. 

From Aryl Tellurium Halides 10.1. With Organometallic Compounds... 

Ziegler-Natta Catalysts (Heterogeneous). These systems consist of a combination of a transition metal compound from groups IV to VIII and an organometallic compound of a group I—III metal.23 The transition metal compound is called the catalyst and the organometallic compound the cocatalyst. Typically the catalyst is a halide or oxyhalide of titanium, chromium, vanadium, zirconium, or molybdenum. The cocatalyst is often an alkyl, aryl, or halide of aluminum, lithium, zinc, tin, cadmium, magnesium, or beryllium.24 One of the most important catalyst systems is the titanium trihalides or tetra-halides combined with a trialkylaluminum compound. 

Oxidative addition of aryl (or vinyl) halide to Pd(0) precursor forms the monoarylpalladium complex that is the common intermediate in the catalytic cross-coupling reactions of haloarene with organometallic compounds of main group elements such as Mg, Si, and Sn. Alkynylcopper, formed from alkyne, Cu(I) salt and base in the reaction mixture, transfers the ligand to the above Pd complex, giving an intermediate complex with aryl (or vinyl) and alkynyl ligands bonded to Pd. Reductive elimination of arylacetylene (or enyne) occurs... 

Notably, the catalyst system is currently used on multi-1,000 kg-scale. The efficiency and easy handling properties (stable to air and moisture) make this the first industrial palladium-catalyzed reductive carbonylation of aryl halides. At this point it is important to note that applied homogeneous catalysis benefits significantly from advancements in the area of organometallic chemistry. Hence, the mechanistic understanding of elementary steps and the synthesis of new organometallic compounds provide a valuable source for inspiration for new catalysts. 

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