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The Magnificent Victor Grignard

 

Me: Is that the magnificent Victor Grignard calling?

Grignard:Yes, this is the magnificent Victor Grignard here.

Me: Can you tell my class about your magnificent self and magnificent reagent?

Grignard: Certainly, I am magnificent, see my magnificent moustache? But as for my reagent, it is magnificent because it uses magnesium.  When you react a haloalkane in ether with magnesium metal, the magnesium inserts between the carbon and halogen atoms to make the magnificent magnesium reagent, named after me, the magnificent Victor Grignard!

Me: What makes your reagents so magnificent?     

Girgnard: Well, because of the carbon-magnesium bond, the carbon is nucleophilic and reacts with electrophiles such as epoxides to make new carbon-carbon bonds.  That is magnificent!  And the best part is that my Grignard reagents are not that basic, so they can even react with aldehydes, ketones and esters.  You will see.

Me: That is magnificent!

Grignard: Peace out from here!

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