Grignard Reaction

The Grignard reaction is a versatile chemical transformation used to produce new carbon-carbon bonds by reaction with carbonyl functionalities using “Grignard reagents”. Grignard reagents feature a reactive C-Mg bond which preferentially reacts with carbonyl bearing functional groups (ketones, aldehydes, esters, etc.) to varying degrees providing a wide variety of secondary and tertiary alcohol products. In addition, N,O-dimethylhydroxylamides commonly referred to as Weinreb amides uniquely react with Grignard reagents to provide substituted ketone products instead of alcohols. Grignard reagents have long been successfully used in organic synthesis in both simple and highly complex chemical transformations and remains an essential tool in an organic chemist’s synthetic toolbox.