The Grignard Reaction
Music (My Own Prison) by Creed
Lyrics by Tom Poon

the Grignard Reaction uses magnesium
stay away from water today, until you need hydronium
the walls of your glassware have to be really dry
cuz a failed reaction will surely make you cry

start with a halide and add Mg ribbon
insert that metal and make a carbanion
you've just made a nucleophile that's super strong
but it's also a base so lots can still go wrong

CHORUS:
and we say woah...
your magnesium went away
your reaction's working, shout hurray
everything's gonna be okay

your yield is good, you've got product
you've made the compound with any luck
I was wrong when I said you suck

add your ketone dropwise, do it carefully
keep your reaction dry until the work-up step you need
the amount of magnesium left should be really small
before you add an acid to make your alcohol

CHORUS

SOLO

you've just performed your first Grignard reaction
you're a chemist now, so proclaim it with satisfaction

Victor Grignard would be proud of you today
you've used his reaction to make an alcohol