How do you use Grignard reagents in alcohol synthesis?

To use Grignard reagents in alcohol synthesis, combine bromopentane, metal iodine crystals, propanal, diethyl ether, hydrogen chloride, sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfate. Make sure you're wearing gloves and safety goggles before touching these chemicals.

1. Prepare the Grignard reagent

   Pour 75 milligrams of magnesium into a conical vial equipped with a magnetic spin vane and a condenser. Add one crystal of iodine, and then add 500 microliters of anhydrous ether. In another vial, mix 530 microliters of bromopentane into 600 microliters of anhydrous diethyl ether. Draw the bromopentane solution into a syringe, and inject six drops into the rubber septum on the first vial's condenser. Stir the mixture, and slowly add the rest of the bromopentane solution over a five-minute period. Heat the solution slightly, and stir it for 15 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature.

2. Prepare the propanal

   Pour 100 microliters of propanal into another vial. Combine it with 200 microliters of anhydrous diethyl ether.

3. Add the propanal

   Pour the propanal solution into the Grignard reagent. Stir the mixture for five minutes, and then let it cool to room temperature.

4. Isolate the product

   Add 2 milliliters of water to magnesium alkoxide salt, and stir them for five minutes. Add five drops of hydrogen chloride, and stir again for five minutes. Remove the magnetic spin vane before shaking the vial. Let the vial sit to allow the chemicals to separate. Move the lower layer to a clean vial, and add 3 milliliters of diethyl ether.