Active-sodium-promoted reductive cleavage of halogenated benzoic acids

1,2-Diaryl-1,2-disodioethanes: Versatile, Highly Reactive, and Tunable Synthetic Equivalents of Sodium Metal

1,2-Diaryl-1,2-disodioethanes are easily prepared, versatile, and stable diorganometals finding application in 1,2-reductive eliminations as well as in the degradation of several persistent organic pollutants as homogeneous synthetic equivalents of a highly reactive form of Na metal. Understanding their reactivity in terms of their different electron-donor power, which is strongly affected by the nature of substituents located either on the aromatic ring(s) or on the carbanionic centers, allowed rationalization of their employment not only as chemoselective single electron transfer reducing reagents, but also as bases in the generation of enediolates of arylacetic acids bearing easily reducible carbon–halogen bonds.

Reducing properties of 1,2-dipyridyl-1,2-disodioethanes: chemical validation of theoretical and electrochemical predictions

Theoretical calculations and electrochemical analysis were used to set up a relative scale for the reducing strength of the dianions of 1,2-dipyridylethenes, validated by studying their reactivity towards halogenated benzoic and arylacetic acids.

Enabling technologies for the rapid dechlorination of polychloroarenes and PCBs

Dielectric heating and acoustic cavitation (ultrasound or high-performance disperser) may all dramatically enhance conversion rates and yields in heterogeneous metal-assisted organic reactions even when low reagent excesses are used. These so called "enabling technologies" bring with them process intensification, safer protocols, cost reduction and energy savings. We herein describe a series of rapid polychlorinated aromatic and PCBs dechlorinations (15min) carried out in a moderate excess of metallic sodium and using non-conventional techniques. We compared the results with those obtained for reactions carried out under conventional heating and with those performed with less reactive metals such as magnesium and zinc. In this comparison, high-intensity ultrasound stands out as the technique of choice.