ZUR BILDUNGSWEISE VON 1-PHENYLPROPYLLITHIUM AUS BENZYLLITHIUM UND ETHYLEN IN TETRAHYDROFURAN

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(83)85111-0

3-Phenylpropyllithium primarily formed by the addition of benzyllithium to ethylene in THF does not undergo an intramolecular 1,3-proton shift to 1-phenylpropyllithium.Fast protonation by the solvent takes place instead, yielding n-propylbenzene and new ethylene.An equilibrium is then established between n-propylbenzene and additional benzyllithium, with the formation of toluene and 1-phenylpropyllithium; the equilibrium, however, strongly favours the starting materials (K²⁹³=1.1*10^-4).As, on the other hand, 1-phenylpropyllithium reacts with ethylene much more rapidly than does benzyllithium, it is removed from the equilibrium and mainly branched secondary products are still obtained.