Reducing properties of 1,2-diaryl-1,2-disodiumethanes

1,2-Diphenyl- and 1-phenyl-2-(2-pyridyl)-1,2-disodiumethane efficiently dehalogenate vic-dibromoderivatives, affording the corresponding alkenes. The reaction proceeds rapidly, under mild conditions and is tolerant of a variety of functional groups (alcohol, carboxylic acid, ester and amide). This procedure was successfully extended to similar vic-disubstituted compounds.