Iron-Catalyzed Reductive Magnesiation of Oxetanes to Generate (3-Oxidopropyl)magnesium Reagents

Abstract

In the presence of FeCl(n)-(bisphosphine) or FeCl(n)-(2-iminomethylpyridine) (n = 2 or 3), 2-substituted oxetanes reacted with Grignard reagents undergoing reductive magnesiation at the 2-position to afford substituted 3-oxidopropylmagnesium compounds, which are useful nucleophiles in reactions with a variety of electrophiles.