Short Communication: Magnesium and Aromatics: Mechanically-Induced Grignard and McMurry Reactions

Abstract

Mechanically induced reactions of magnesium with halonaphthalenes, under solvent-free conditions, provide the corresponding Grignard reagents in good yields. The use of excess Mg to obtain a solid (powder) product, however, means that quenching reactions using aromatic ketones involve some contribution from McMurry coupling of these species, in addition to alcohol formation by the true quenching process.