Ball-milled sodium provides easy access to organometallic reagent

By Victoria Atkinson2026-01-07T09:46:00

A a modern piece of technology featureing a small control screen above a clear viewing window onto a fast moving piece of machinery

Source: © WPI-ICReDD

Solvent-free organosodium is a promising alternative to lithium reagents

The sodium analogue to ubiquitous organolithium reagents is now easily accessible thanks to a simple ball-milling procedure. The solventless mechanochemical synthesis combines sodium metal directly with an organic halide, providing a sustainable alternative to conventional organometallic chemistry and an intriguing extension to the scope of these reagents.