Treatment of α-bromo carbonyl compounds with the reagent prepared from n-Bu 3 SnLi and Et 2 AlCl or from SnCl 2 and Et 2 AlCl affords enolates which react with ketone or aldehyde to give β-hydroxy carbonyl compounds in good to excellent yields. The reactions proceed similarly with the reagents which are generated from R 3 PbLi (R= Ph, n-Bu) and Et 2 AlCl. Catalysis by the added Pd (PPh 3) 4 complex promotes the reduction effectively and ...
