Experimental and molecular dynamics studies of acetophenone, alongside a computational analysis of i-PrMgCl in a biphasic ChCl:2Gly DES/THF solution, offer valuable insights into the remarkable efficiency of the Grignard reaction under these conditions. The poorly soluble acetophenone interacts with the Grignard reagent at the interface of the two solvents, enhancing the probability of effective contact between the reagents.

Abstract

Due to their high reactivity, organolithium and organomagnesium addition to ketones is usually performed under inert atmosphere at low temperature. Recent work has shown that, by dissolving the substrate in deep eutectic solvents (DES), these processes can be carried out on the benchtop, in air at room temperature. Surprisingly, the organometallic reagent, added to the DES from an organic solution, works in these conditions and gives better yields than in the standard setup. Here, we investigated acetophenone in a (1:2) choline chloride:glycerol (ChCl:Gly) DES solution by experimental liquid diffraction, neutron reflectometry, NMR, interfacial tension measurements, and by computational modelling. Our data show that this DES is a poor solvent for the ketone and promotes its accumulation at the surface of the liquid or its escape into the organic solvent. Molecular dynamics simulations of Grignard reagent i-PrMgCl in the (ChCl:Gly)/tetrahydrofuran biphasic system indicate also preference for its localisation at the interface. These results pinpoint why this combination of solvents promote the reaction, require stirring, and accounts for the lack of rapid decomposition of the organometallic reagents.