FORMATION OF KETONES IN THE REACTION OF ALDEHYDES WITH UNSOLVATED DIBUTYLMAGNESIUM IN HYDROCARBON SOLVENTS UNDER HOMOGENEOUS CONDITIONS, AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(86)80516-2

Unsolvated dibutylmagnesium reacts with aldehydes in the presence of lithium alkoxide in methylcyclohexane to give not only the expected secondary alcohol but also the ketone formed by oxidation of the alcohol.The amount of ketone produced depends on the reactant ratios, which can be chosen so that the ketone is the major product.The relevance of these observations to the reactions of aldehydes with organomagnesium and organolithium reagents in general is discussed.