SN2 reaction of organocuprates (Gilman reagents) with alkyl halides to give alkanes
Description: Alkyl halides (or tosylates) will react with organocuprates (Gilman reagents) to form alkanes in an SN2 reaction
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Notes: X here is a halide (Cl, Br, I) or sulfonate (OTs, OMs)
Also note that this can be a very useful way of forming carbon-carbon bonds.
Examples:
Notes: The byproduct of all of these reactions is the lithium salt (e.g. LiBr) and the organocopper species (e.g. CH3Cu).
Mechanism: This reaction is actually a fairly straightforward SN2 reaction, with breakage of the C–Cu bond accompanying attack at the alkyl halide (Step 1, arrows A and B).
Notes: Again note that this forms a carbon-carbon bond. This is important as there aren’t too many reactions that do so, through an SN2 (another example is the reaction of alkyl halides with acetylide ions).
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