Alkylation of aromatic aldehydes with alkylboron chloride derivatives

The reaction of aryl aldehydes with alkylboron chlorides has been investigated. Monoalkylboron dichlorides react with aryl aldehydes in hexane under reflux conditions to give a mixture of dichloroarylmethane and benzyl chloride. Under the same reaction conditions, dialkylboron chlorides lead to formation of a mixture of benzyl chloride and the chloroalkylation product. In the presence of a base such as 2,6-lutidine, the reactions of monoalkylboron dichlorides with aryl aldehydes yield small amounts of the desired alkylation products at room temperature. Dialkylboron chlorides react with aryl aldehydes in hexane in the presence of base to generate the corresponding arylalkylmethanols in good yields.