Synthesis of homopropargyl alcohols via sonochemical Barbier-type reaction

A series of homopropargyl alcohols were synthesized from the reaction mixture of zinc powder, 1,2-diiodoethane, 3-bromo-1-propyne and aldehyde or ketone in anhydrous THF under ultrasound. The homopropargyl alcohols were obtained as the only product in all cases when aldehydes were reacted with 3-bromo-1-propyne under this sonochemical Barbier-type reaction condition. The homopropargyl alcohol was produced as the major product and the low contamination of allenyl alcohol was also obtained when ketone was used as substrate under the reaction condition. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.