Utilization of microwave heating in the McMurry reaction for facile coupling of aldehydes and ketones to give alkenes

Microwave heating was applied in high-yield syntheses of alkenes by McMurry coupling of aldehydes and ketones with low-valent titanium. All aldehydes and ketones including sulfur end-capped analogues gave alkenes in isolated yields above 80% without detectable amounts of pinacols.