How do you explain Grignard reagents?

Question

Santiago Alfonso · Accepted Answer

See this old answer.

There is not too much to explain. Grignards are organometallic reagents that can usually be prepared fairly straightforwardly, and can be deployed to form #C-C# bonds, which is a prized reaction in organic chemistry.

Easton Jones · Answer

undefined Grignard reagents are organometallic compounds composed of a carbon atom bonded to a magnesium atom and one or more alkyl or aryl groups. They are highly reactive and are commonly used in organic synthesis to form new carbon-carbon bonds through nucleophilic addition reactions with carbonyl compounds, such as ketones, aldehydes, esters, and carbon dioxide. The reaction mechanism involves the formation of a magnesium halide complex, which acts as a nucleophile attacking the electrophilic carbon of the carbonyl compound, resulting in the formation of an alcohol after protonation. Grignard reagents are highly versatile and widely used in organic chemistry due to their ability to introduce various functional groups into organic molecules.