Zinc in Organic Chemistry

Saytzeff s Contributions-Wagner, Kanonnikov, M. Saytzeff 1875. At A. Saytzeff s laboratory, Wagner [15] repeated the unsuccessful reaction of ethyl-zinc with ethanal as published in 1863 [8] by Rieth and Beilstein (vide supra). 2-Butanol was obtained in good yield  

In the same year, three further publications from Saytzeff s laboratory drew special attention. 

Kanonnikov [16] synthesized 2-butanol via an unusual procedure in a one-step, Frankland-type, reaction in which two different haloalkanes were allowed to react with zinc in the presence of ethyl methanoate  

The difference in reactivity of the two iodoalkanes causes this reaction to proceed in two consecutive steps (see also [17]). 

Wagner [18] reported the synthesis of 3-pentanol by the same type of procedure  

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