|Chapter 17: Aldehydes and Ketones. Nucleophilic Addition to C=O|
Reactions of RLi and
RMgX with Aldehydes and Ketones
(review of Chapter 14)
Reaction type: Nucleophilic Addition
NUCLEOPHILIC ADDITION OF RLi or RMgX TO AN ALDEHYDE
The nucleophilic C in the organometallic reagent adds to the electrophilic C in the polar carbonyl group, electrons from the C=O move to the electronegative O creating an intermediate metal alkoxide complex.
This is the work-up step, a simple acid / base reaction. Protonation of the alkoxide oxygen creates the alcohol product from the intermediate complex.
|© Dr. Ian Hunt, Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary|