Abstract

The synthesis of ketones from acid halides and organometallic compounds may be represented by the following equation:
Freund fist observed the formation of ketones from simple acid chlorides and dimethyl- and diethyl-zinc. Organometallic compounds of sodium, copper, magnesium, cadmium, mercury, aluminum, tin, and lead have also been found to give this reaction. Only organozinc, organocadmium, and organomagnesium reagents have been found to be generally useful for such syntheses, however. These reactions are reviewed in this chapter.