Soluble Lanthanide Salts (LnCl3⋅2 LiCl) for the Improved Addition of Organomagnesium Reagents to Carbonyl Compounds

Easy-to-prepare solutions of LnCl3⋅2 LiCl (Ln=La, Ce, Nd) (0.3–0.5 M in THF) are a unique source of soluble lanthanide salts with versatile applications in organic synthesis. These salts can serve as promoters or catalysts for the addition of organometallic compounds to sterically hindered, enolizable or α,β-unsaturated ketones or imines.