With the addition of a copper catalyst, it can add to alpha-beta unsaturated aldehydes in a 1,4-fashion, though it generally adds in a 1,2- fashion, in agreement with its hardness.
In the Bouveault reaction, two moles of it are added to disubstituted formamides to produce an aldehyde and a tertiary amine. In solution, it exists in a Schlenk equilibrium with a complex whose formation is favored by the addition of dioxane. With the addition of a copper catalyst, it can add to alpha-beta unsaturated aldehydes in a 1,4-fashion, though it generally adds in a 1,2- fashion, in agreement with its hardness. In an alternative to the Barbier reaction, this type of molecule can produce tertiary alcohols from ketones in a nucleophilic reaction. It also reacts with oxygen to produce an alcohol and with water to give the corresponding alkane. FTP identify this group of compounds that is stabilized in ether and that is formed by the reaction of an alkyl halide and magnesium.
In the Bouveault reaction, two moles of it are added to disubstituted formamides to produce an aldehyde and a tertiary amine.
{Grignard} reagents