Catalytic Double C-Cl Bond Activation in CH2Cl2 by Iron(III) Salts with Grignard Reagents

Abstract

Cross-coupling of Grignard reagents with dichloromethane is achieved using iron(III) catalysts. Aryl- and benzylmagnesium bromides show a range of activity toward double C―Cl bond activation resulting in the insertion of methylene fragments between two equivalents of the nucleophilic partner.