Can an external magnetic field affect the thermal reaction of pentafluorobenzyl chloride with n-butyllithium in hexane?

The magnetic field effects reported in 1973 for the thermal reaction of pen tafluorobenzyl chloride with n-butyllithium in hexane were re-examined at 2 3 +/- 3 degreesC with modern techniques. Using a new reaction apparatus, wh ich has an electromagnet (up to 14.9 kG) in a glove box under argon atmosph ere (H2O and O-2 < 1 ppm), we studied the magnetic field effects on the yie lds of final products of pentafluorophenylpentane and decafluorodiphenyleth ane in the absence and presence of an external magnetic field of 14.9 kG. N o significant magnetic field effect was observed upon the yields of pentafl uorophenylpentane and decafluorodiphenylethane under well-controlled condit ions with sufficient repetitions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.