Phenyl methyl carbinol Grignards reaction

The Grignard reagent—magnesium phenyl bromide—is prepared as described in Preparation 21 from 1-2 gms. (1 mol.) of dry magnesium and 8 gms. (1 mol.) of dry bromobenzene. 6-8 gms. (1 mol.) of dry methyl benzoate dissolved in 25 gms. of sodium-dried ether are added to the cold solution, slowly and with constant shaking. The liquid is then heated on a water bath until no further change takes place. Ice and dilute sulphuric acid are added to the cold reaction mixture, which, when the precipitate has dissolved, is steam distilled. The triphenyl carbinol which remains is recrystallised from benzene. 

An acceptable method is to oxidize methyl benzyl carbinol (l-phenyl-2-propanol) to phenylacetone (methyl benzyl ketone) with chrome oxide (CrO3) in pyridine solvent. The problem with this is that methyl benzyl carbinol is not commercially available, and so must be made from benzyl chloride grignard reagent and acetaldehyde. This grignard works well, although there can be a problem getting unreacted benzyl chloride out of the product. Their boiling points are very close, so distillation does not separate them completely. But the real question is Why make the synthesis of phenylacetone a two-step process when it can be done with one reaction ... 

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