An efficient and mild iron-mediated synthesis of alkenyl halides via direct C-C bond formation of benzyl alcohols and aryl alkynes

This work demonstrated an efficient and mild method for preparing various substituted alkenyl halides via direct C-C bond formation of benzyl alcohols and aryl alkynes in CH2Cl2 at 50 degrees*C by using 50 mol % of FeCl3 center dot 6H(2)O or FeBr3. Compared with the systems using excessive boron trihalides and stoichiometric n-BuLi to prepare substituted alkenyl halides, the present procedure would provide an excellent alternative due to the environmentally benign system and atom efficiency. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved