Beryllium-Induced Conversion of Aldehydes.

Aldehydes play a key role in the human metabolism. Therefore, it is essential to know their reactivity with beryllium compounds in order to assess its effects in the body. The reactivity of simple aldehydes towards beryllium halides (F, Cl, Br, I) was studied through solution and solid-state techniques and revealed distinctively different reactivities of the beryllium halides, with BeF2 being the least and BeI2 the most reactive. Rearrangement and aldol condensation reactions were observed and monitored by in situ NMR spectroscopy. Crystal structures of various compounds obtained by Be2+ -catalyzed cyclization, rearrangement, and aldol addition reactions or ligation of beryllium halides have been determined, including unprecedented one-dimensional BeCl2 chains and the first structurally characterized example of an 1-iodo-alkoxide. Long-term studies showed that only aldehydes without a β-H can form stable beryllium complexes, whereas other aldehydes are oligo- and polymerized or decomposed by beryllium halides.