Grignard Reaction

Watch our video to learn more about the Grignard Reaction and its mechanisms. 

In 1900, French chemist Victor Grignard discovered that when treating an alkyl halide with magnesium metal in diethyl ether, a cloudy solution of an organomagnesium compound was formed. This substance would subsequently react with aldehydes and ketones to produce secondary and tertiary alcohols, respectively.

These organomagnesium compounds became known as Grignard reagents, and their addition across carbon–heteroatom multiple bonds is now called the Grignard reaction. Very shortly after this discovery, the Grignard reaction became one of the best known and most versatile carbon–carbon bond forming reactions.

Grignard reagents are typically prepared by reacting alkyl, aryl, or vinyl halides with magnesium metal in aprotic nucleophilic solvents such as ethers. The carbon magnesium bond is highly polar, making Grignard reagents excellent carbon nucleophiles. As a result, the subsequent carbon–carbon bond-forming step is straightforward.

Grignard reagents have been used in the synthesis of several natural products, including the total synthesis of (±)-lepadiformine and several natural and modified cyclotetrapeptide trapoxins.

Other Carbonyl Compound Reactions include: 

For other types of reactions, visit our Named Reactions page.

Chemical reactions often involve the use of air- and moisture-sensitive solvents, and pyrophoric or hazardous reagents. Our AcroSeal packaging is a packaging solution designed to enable safe handling of these types of materials which are used in a variety of research and development applications, including NMR analysis and studies in drug discovery, agrochemicals, flavors and fragrances, and more. 

Watch our video for more information.