IMPROVED REACTIVITY OF DIIODOSAMARIUM BY CATALYSIS WITH TRANSITION-METAL SALTS

Some reactions of diiodosamarium are greatly accelerated by addition o f catalytic amounts (1%) of various transition metal halides. The most useful catalyst is NiI2. Many Barbier reactions can be performed in a few minutes at room temperature even in the absence of HMPA. The cata lyst modifies the reaction profile of SmI2, for example intermolecular reactions of organic halides on esters are very fast giving tertiary alcohols.