Synlett 2011(13): 1871-1874  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1260757
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

SnCl2/KI-Mediated Allylation Reactions of Formaldehyde in Water

Mei-Huey Lin*, Long-Zhi Lin, Tsung-Hsun Chuang
Department of Chemistry, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan
Fax: +886(4)7211190; e-Mail: mhlin@cc.ncue.edu.tw;
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Publication History

Received 11 April 2011
Publication Date:
21 June 2011 (online)

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Abstract

An efficient procedure for SnCl2/KI-mediated allylation reactions of formaldehyde with a variety of allylic bromides in aqueous solution is reported. Under conditions developed in this effort, various homoallylic alcohols and 2-halohomoallylic alcohols are produced in good to excellent yields.

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General Procedure for SnCl2/KI-Mediated Allylation Reactions of Formaldehyde
A mixture of formaldehyde (82 mg, 1.0 mmol, 37 wt% aq solution), the allylating agent 2 (1.5 mmol), tin chloride dihydrate (339 mg, 1.5 mmol), and KI (249 mg, 1.5 mmol) in H2O (2 mL) was stirred at r.t. overnight. The mixture was extracted with CH2Cl2 (3 × 5 mL). The combined organic layers were dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was subjected to silica gel chromatography by using Et2O-hexanes (1:9) as eluent to give the product 1.