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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Slender on August 27, 2014, 07:26:01 AM

Title: Alcohol as by-product in Grignard reaction
Post by: Slender on August 27, 2014, 07:26:01 AM

In the reaction of n-docecylmagnesium bromide (1M solution in Et2O) in with aldehydes we usually obtain not negligible amounts of n-dodecanol.
This happens even with a freshly opened reagent, so we can rule out the presence of the corresponding alkoxide formed by oxidation after prolonged storage.
Any idea to account for the formation of the alcohol?
Thanks

Title: Re: Alcohol as by-product in Grignard reaction
Post by: Dan on August 27, 2014, 08:12:37 AM

Oxygen in your flask - ether in the atmosphere or dissolved in any additional solvent you are adding.