Preparation of Primary and Secondary Dialkylmagnesiums by a Radical I/Mg-Exchange Reaction Using sBu2 Mg in Toluene.

The treatment of primary or secondary alkyl iodides with sBu2 Mg in toluene (25-40 °C, 2-4 h) provided dialkylmagnesiums that underwent various reactions with aldehydes, ketones, acid chlorides or allylic bromides. 3-Substituted secondary cyclohexyl iodides led to all-cis-3-cyclohexylmagnesium reagents under these exchange conditions in a highly stereoconvergent manner. Enantiomerically enriched 3-silyloxy-substituted secondary alkyl iodides gave after an exchange reaction with sBu2 Mg stereodefined dialkylmagnesiums that after quenching with various electrophiles furnished various 1,3-stereodefined products including homo-aldol products (99 % dr and 98 % ee). Mechanistic studies confirmed a radical pathway for these new iodine/magnesium-exchange reactions.