Re-examination of the magnetic field effects on the thermal reactions of benzyl and pentafluorobenzyl halides with n-butyllithium in hexane

Abstract

The magnetic field effects reported in 1973 for the thermal reaction of benzyl and pentafluorobenzyl chlorides with n-butyllithium in hexane have been re-examined under various reaction conditions. Using a new reaction apparatus, which has an electromagnet (up to 1.49 T) in a glove box under an argon atmosphere (H2O and O2 < 1 ppm), a study has been made on the effects on the yields of asymmetrical products (phenylpentane and pentafluorophenylpentane) and symmetrical ones (diphenylethane and decafluorodiphenylethane) in the absence and presence of external magnetic fields. No appreciable magnetic field effects have been observed with change of sample concentration, reaction temperature, or magnetic field strength, or with various benzyl halides.