Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 20, 2025

Efficient Synthesis of All-Carbon Quaternary Centers via the Conjugate Addition of Functionalized Monoorganozinc Bromides
Published on: May 26, 2019
In Situ Grignard Metalation Method for the Synthesis of Hauser Bases
Simon Sengupta1, Philipp Schüler1, Helmar Görls1
1Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 8, 07743, Jena, Germany.
Abstract:
The in situ Grignard Metalation Method (iGMM) is a straightforward one-pot procedure to quickly produce multigram amounts of Hauser bases R2 N-MgBr which are valuable and vastly used metalation reagents and novel electrolytes for magnesium batteries. During addition of bromoethane to a suspension of Mg metal and secondary amine at room temperature in an ethereal solvent, a smooth reaction yields R2 N-MgBr under evolution of ethane within a few hours. A Schlenk equilibrium is operative, interconverting the Hauser bases into their solvated homoleptic congeners Mg(NR2 )2 and MgBr2 depending on the solvent. Scope and preconditions are studied, and side reactions limiting the yield have been investigated. DOSY NMR experiments and X-ray crystal structures of characteristic examples clarify aggregation in solution and the solid state.
Related Concept Videos
Acid Halides to Alcohols: Grignard Reaction
Grignard reagents are a source of carbanions and function as nucleophiles. The mechanism begins with the nucleophilic attack by the carbanion at the carbonyl carbon of the acid halide to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Next, the carbonyl group is re-formed, and the halide ion departs,...
Esters to Alcohols: Grignard Reaction
The reaction requires two equivalents of the Grignard reagent and introduces two identical alkyl groups, derived from the Grignard reagent, bonded to the hydroxyl-bearing carbon of the alcohol.
The reaction follows the typical nucleophilic acyl substitution mechanism. The Grignard...
Preparation of Carboxylic Acids: Carboxylation of Grignard Reagents
Nitriles to Ketones: Grignard Reaction
The mechanism begins with a nucleophilic attack by the Grignard...
Alcohols from Carbonyl Compounds: Grignard Reaction
Magnesium from the reagent coordinates with carbonyl oxygen, further reducing the carbonyl carbon's electron density. Thus, the...
Acidity of 1-Alkynes
The acidic strength of hydrocarbons follows the order: Alkynes > Alkenes > Alkanes. The strength of an acid is commonly expressed in units of pKa — the lower the pKa, the stronger the acid. Among the hydrocarbons, terminal alkynes have lower pKa values and are, therefore, more acidic. For example, the pKa values for ethane, ethene, and acetylene are 51, 44, and 25, respectively, as shown here.

