• Catalyst for 1,4-addition of Grignard reagents to enones: J. Org. Chem., 27, 707 (1962); Org. Synth. Coll., 8, 522 (1993).
• Reaction of Grignard reagents with aromatic nitriles is potentially a useful route to ketones via the imine. However, in the absence of a catalyst, reaction is generally very slow and gives indifferent yields. In the presence of CuBr, tert-butylmagnesium chloride reacts readily with benzonitrile to give tert-butyl phenyl ketone in 94% yield: J. Org. Chem., 52, 3901 (1987).
• Precursor of organocopper reagents. For reviews, see: Org. React., 22, 253 (1975); 41, 135 (1992); Synthesis, 63 (1972); Tetrahedron, 45, 349 (1989).