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Updated: Jul 4, 2026

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The Barbier-Grignard-type carbonyl alkylation using unactivated alkyl halides in water
Charlene C K Keh1, Chunmei Wei, Chao-Jun Li
1Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, USA.
Abstract:
The aqueous Barbier-Grignard-type alkylation of aldehydes with unactivated alkyl iodides and bromides was developed. By using a combination of zinc and cuprous iodide, catalyzed by indium(I) chloride, we successfully added tertiary, secondary, and primary alkyl halides to various aromatic aldehydes in 0.07 M aqueous Na2C2O4. A mechanistic rationale for the success of the reaction has been proposed.
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