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Chemicals >> Reducing Agents

Magnesium

Name Reactions


Pinacol Reaction


Grignard Reaction


Recent Literature


An intermolecular pinacol coupling of aromatic or aliphatic carbonyl compounds catalyzed by a complex of samarium diiodide (SmI2) with tetraglyme in the presence of Me2SiCl2 and Mg is described. High diastereoselectivity has been achieved in reactions with aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes. De values of up to 99% have been achieved in intramolecular pinacol coupling reactions.
H. C. Aspinall, N. Greeves, C. Valla, Org. Lett., 2005, 7, 1919-1922.


Rieke Ni generated in situ was able to promote the pinacol coupling of various carbonyls efficiently. Another catalytically effective, cheaper and more convenient NiCl2(Cat.)/Mg/TMSCl system was designed and developed further successfully. Single-electron transfer (SET) mechanisms for the coupling reactions and the DL/meso diastereoselectivity were also explained.
L. Shi, C.-A. Fan, Y.-Q. Tu, M. Wang, F.-M. Zhang, Tetrahedron, 2004, 60, 2851-2855.


Magnesium in methanol is an effective reagent for the chemoselective reduction of ozonides and other peroxides. Mg/MeOH is significantly more reactive than Me2S or PPh3 and somewhat more reactive than Zn/HOAc.
P. Dai, P. H. Dussault, T. K. Trullinger, J. Org. Chem., 2004, 69, 2851-2852.