Facile reductive coupling of benzylic halides with ferrous oxalate dihydrate
Abstract
Facile reductive coupling of benzylic halides is reported with ferrous oxalate dihydrate in DMF or HMPA under nitrogen atmosphere at 155–160 °C. The coupling is proposed to proceed by two successive oxidative additions of benzylic halides to ferrous oxalate to give an intermediate organoiron complex which undergoes concerted dimerization to give the corresponding reductively coupled dimers in high yields.