Abstract: The invention provides, in a first aspect, a method for preparing a reduced metal reagent comprising the steps of providing a halide salt of a metal having a more positive reduction potential than Na in admixture with liquid Na in substantially stoichiometric quantities in the presence of an ogranic solvent characterized by boiling point, measured at atmospheric conditions, at least equal to the melting point of Na, to reduce substantially all of the halide salt to reactive metal reagent and to convert substantially all of said Na to a Na halide salt.The invention further provides, in a second aspect, a method for converting carbonylsin the presnece of the reduced metal reagent prepared in accordance with the invention.