HEXANE-SOLUBLE COMPLEXES OF ALKYL- AND ALKENYL-SODIUM COMPOUNDS WITH MAGNESIUM ALKOXIDES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(86)82069-1

Unsolvated alkylsodium compounds are solubilized in hexane or methylcyclohexane by complexation with magnesium 2-ethoxyethoxide.The soluble species appear to have well defined stoichiometries, characterized by the Na/Mg ratio.Thus butylsodium forms 2/1 complex which is of moderate thermal stability, but if sufficient magnesium alkoxide is added to the 2/1 complex to make the Na/Mg ratio 1/1, than the complex becomes thermally very stable.Both of the BuNa complexes exhibit normal organometallic reactivity toward CO2, but with benzophenone the main product is the reduction rather than the addition product.The pronounced reducing ability is also manifested by the reduction of transition metal salts to either the matallic state (e.g.AgNO3, CoCl2) or to a lower valency state (e.g.TiCl4).The BuNa complexes react very rapidly with potassium metal and undergo sodium metal displacement. Alkenylsodiums derived by metalation of olefins may also form soluble complexes with magnesium 2-ethoxyethoxide.