Rhodium,
Can MgBr2 be prepared from Mg(s) and HBr(aq), if so i will give it a whirl, is there any OTC source of Lithium that i can convert to the halogen salt, am not connected to a lab anymore so getting these things involves pulling favours that i would rather save up for the present.
Have some AlCl3 though, any way of weakening it, it has a habit of cleaving ethers so it is worrisome, but i am rather experienced with it so who knows, if it could remain in the solid phase we would be able to control exposure times, i think it would co-ordinate equally well with the methylene ring though, however if mild hydrolysis conditions were used we might convince only the epoxide to rearrange/cleave.
the mag salt seems more promising though, have a think, my inorganic sucks
wacka wacka wacka