The radical chain reduction of primary and secondary a-bromo esters by 2-propanol and 2- methyldioxolane has been shown to be a kinetically viable process with average chain lengths of> 10 at temperatures between 30 and 60" C. For electron-deficient bromides, these simple organic reagents may effectively replace the more commonly used (and more expensive) organosilicon or tin hydides. Some mechanistic insights have been obtained ...
