Acid catalysts Michael additions

Karodia et al. reported [123] a eonvenient method for the acid-catalyzed Michael addition reactions of alcohols, thiols, and amines to methyl vinyl ketone, using the IL ethyltri- -butylphosphonium tosylate. Recently, phosphonium-based ILs have been used [124] in the degradation of phenol, esterification, Wittig reaction, Heck reactions, Suzuki cross-coupling reactions, oxidation of benzyl halides [125], etc. Phos-phonium tosylates are used as solvents in catalytic hydroformy lation reactions these catalyst systems are noncorrosive and can readily be recovered and reused [126]. 

Feringa applied Yb(OTf)3 as water-tolerant Lewis acid to Michael addition of P-keto esters and a-nitroesters in water (Scheme 13.4) [12]. Regardless of the solubility of the substrate, the reaction reached completion to give Michael adduct in excellent yield, although it took a couple of days. Silica gel supported Yb(OTf)3 catalyst was developed by Kotsuki et cd, and successfully applied for Michael reaction with P-keto esters and cycloalkenones, which were completely unreactive under Feringa s conditions (Scheme 13.5) [13]. 

The addition of active methylene compounds (ethyl malonate, ethyl aoeto-acetate, ethyl plienylacetate, nltromethane, acrylonitrile, etc.) to the aP-double bond of a conjugated unsaturated ketone, ester or nitrile In the presence of a basic catalyst (sodium ethoxide, piperidine, diethylamiiie, etc.) is known as the Michael reaction or Michael addition. The reaction may be illustrated by the addition of ethyl malonate to ethyl fumarate in the presence of sodium ethoxide hydrolysis and decarboxylation of the addendum (ethyl propane-1 1 2 3-tetracarboxylate) yields trlcarballylic acid ... 

Torgov introduced an important variation of the Michael addition allylic alcohols are used as vinylogous a -synthons and 1,3-dioxo compounds as d -reagents (S.N. Ananchenko, 1962, 1963 H. Smith, 1964 C. Rufer) 1967). Mild reaction conditions have been successful in the addition of ],3-dioxo compounds to vinyl ketones. Potassium fluoride can act as weakly basic, non-nudeophilic catalyst in such Michael additions under essentially non-acidic and non-basic conditions (Y. Kitabara, 1964). 

These reversible reactions are cataly2ed by bases or acids, such as 2iac chloride and aluminum isopropoxide, or by anion-exchange resias. Ultrasonic vibrations improve the reaction rate and yield. Reaction of aromatic aldehydes or ketones with nitroparaffins yields either the nitro alcohol or the nitro olefin, depending on the catalyst. Conjugated unsaturated aldehydes or ketones and nitroparaffins (Michael addition) yield nitro-substituted carbonyl compounds rather than nitro alcohols. Condensation with keto esters gives the substituted nitro alcohols (37) keto aldehydes react preferentially at the aldehyde function. 

Adolph Baeyer is credited with the first recognition of the general nature of the reaction between phenols and aldehydes in 1872 ([2,5-7] [18], Table 5.1). He reported formation of colorless resins when acidic solutions of pyrogallic acid or resorcinol were mixed with oil of bitter almonds, which consists primarily benzaldehyde. Baeyer also saw resin formation with acidic and basic solutions of phenol and acetaldehyde or chloral. Michael and Comey furthered Baeyer s work with additional studies on the behavior of benzaldehyde and phenols [2,19]. They studied a variety of acidic and basic catalysts and noted that reaction vigor followed the acid or base strength of the catalyst. Michael et al. also reported rapid oxidation and darkening of phenolic resins when catalyzed by alkaline materials. 

The optically active a-sulfinyl vinylphosphonate 122 prepared in two different ways (Scheme 38) is an interesting reagent for asymmetric synthesis [80]. This substrate is an asymmetric dienophile and Michael acceptor [80a]. In the Diels-Alder reaction with cyclopentadiene leading to 123, the endo/exo selectivity and the asymmetry induced by the sulfinyl group have been examined in various experimental conditions. The influence of Lewis acid catalysts (which also increase the dienophilic reactivity) appears to be important. The 1,4-addition of ethanethiol gives 124 with a moderate diastereoselectivity. 

The combination of CsF with Si(OMe)4 58 is an efficient catalyst for Michael additions, e.g. of tetralone 130 to methacrylamide, followed hy cyclization of the addition product to the cyclic enamide 131 in 94% yield [67]. Likewise, addition of the lactone 132 to methyl cinnamate affords, after subsequent cyclization with tri-fluoroacetic acid, the lactam 133 in 58% yield [68] whereas < -valerolactam 134, with ethyl acrylate in the presence of Si(OEt)4 59/CsF, gives 135 in 98% yield [69]. Whereas 10mol% of CsF are often sufficient, equivalent amounts of Si(OEt)4 59 seem to be necessary for preparation of 135 [69] (Scheme 3.11). 

Examples of commercially applied solid base catalysts are much fewer than for solid acids. Nevertheless, much attention is currently focused on the development of novel solid base catalysts for classical organic reactions such as aldol condensations, Michael additions, and Knoevenagel condensations, to name but a few. 

Thiolates, generated in situ by the action of ammonium tetra-thiomolybdate on alkyl halides, thiocyanates, and disulfides, undergo conjugate addition to a, (1-unsaturatcd esters, nitriles, and ketones in water under neutral conditions (Eq. 10. II).29 Conjugate addition of thiols was also carried out in a hydrophobic ionic liquid [bmim]PF6/water-solvent system (2 1) in the absence of any acid catalyst to afford the corresponding Michael adducts in high to quantitative yields with excellent 1,4-selectivity under mild and neutral conditions (Eq. 10.12). The use of ionic liquids helps to avoid the use of either acid or base catalysts... 

Jenner investigated the kinetic pressure effect on some specific Michael and Henry reactions and found that the observed activation volumes of the Michael reaction between nitromethane and methyl vinyl ketone are largely dependent on the magnitude of the electrostriction effect, which is highest in the lanthanide-catalyzed reaction and lowest in the base-catalyzed version. In the latter case, the reverse reaction is insensitive to pressure.52 Recently, Kobayashi and co-workers reported a highly efficient Lewis-acid-catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition in water.53 A variety of unsaturated carbonyl derivatives gave selective Michael additions with a-nitrocycloalkanones in water, at room temperature without any added catalyst or in a very dilute aqueous solution of potassium carbonate (Eq. 10.24).54... 

Since mild activation conditions appear to be important, a number of solution activation conditions were tested. PAMAM dendrimers are comprised of amide bonds, so the favorable conditions for refro-Michael addition reactions, (low pH, high temperature and the presence of water) may be able to cleave these bonds. Table 1 shows a series of reaction tests using various acid/solvent combinations to activate the dendrimer amide bonds. Characterization of the solution-activated catalysts with Atomic Absorption spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy of adsorbed CO indicated that the solution activation generally resulted in Pt loss. Appropriate choice of solvent and acid, particularly EtOH/HOAc, minimized the leaching. FTIR spectra of these samples indicate that a substantial portion of the dendrimer amide bonds was removed by solution activation (note the small y-axis value in Figure 4 relative... 

This finding is also in agreement with another three-component Michael/aldol addition reaction reported by Shibasaki and coworkers [14]. Here, as a catalyst the chiral AlLibis[(S)-binaphthoxide] complex (ALB) (2-37) was used. Such hetero-bimetallic compounds show both Bronsted basicity and Lewis acidity, and can catalyze aldol [15] and Michael/aldol [14, 16] processes. Reaction of cyclopentenone 2-29b, aldehyde 2-35, and dibenzyl methylmalonate (2-36) at r.t. in the presence of 5 mol% of 2-37 led to 3-hydroxy ketones 2-38 as a mixture of diastereomers in 84% yield. Transformation of 2-38 by a mesylation/elimination sequence afforded 2-39 with 92 % ee recrystallization gave enantiopure 2-39, which was used in the synthesis of ll-deoxy-PGFla (2-40) (Scheme 2.8). The transition states 2-41 and 2-42 illustrate the stereochemical result (Scheme 2.9). The coordination of the enone to the aluminum not only results in its activation, but also fixes its position for the Michael addition, as demonstrated in TS-2-41. It is of importance that the following aldol reaction of 2-42 is faster than a protonation of the enolate moiety. 

Heterobimetallic asymmetric complexes contain both Bronsted basic and Lewis acidic functionalities. These complexes have been developed by Shibasaki and coworkers and have proved to be highly efficient catalysts for many types of asymmetric reactions, including catalytic asymmetric nitro-aldol reaction (see Section 3.3) and Michael reaction. They have reported that the multifunctional catalyst (f )-LPB [LaK3tris(f )-binaphthoxide] controls the Michael addition of nitromethane to chalcones with >95% ee (Eq. 4.140).205... 

The controlled polymerization of (meth)acrylates was achieved by anionic polymerization. However, special bulky initiators and very low temperatures (- 78 °C) must be employed in order to avoid side reactions. An alternative procedure for achieving the same results by conducting the polymerization at room temperature was proposed by Webster and Sogah [84], The technique, called group transfer polymerization, involves a catalyzed silicon-mediated sequential Michael addition of a, /f-unsaluralcd esters using silyl ketene acetals as initiators. Nucleophilic (anionic) or Lewis acid catalysts are necessary for the polymerization. Nucleophilic catalysts activate the initiator and are usually employed for the polymerization of methacrylates, whereas Lewis acids activate the monomer and are more suitable for the polymerization of acrylates [85,86]. 

Annual Volume 71 contains 30 checked and edited experimental procedures that illustrate important new synthetic methods or describe the preparation of particularly useful chemicals. This compilation begins with procedures exemplifying three important methods for preparing enantiomerically pure substances by asymmetric catalysis. The preparation of (R)-(-)-METHYL 3-HYDROXYBUTANOATE details the convenient preparation of a BINAP-ruthenium catalyst that is broadly useful for the asymmetric reduction of p-ketoesters. Catalysis of the carbonyl ene reaction by a chiral Lewis acid, in this case a binapthol-derived titanium catalyst, is illustrated in the preparation of METHYL (2R)-2-HYDROXY-4-PHENYL-4-PENTENOATE. The enantiomerically pure diamines, (1 R,2R)-(+)- AND (1S,2S)-(-)-1,2-DIPHENYL-1,2-ETHYLENEDIAMINE, are useful for a variety of asymmetric transformations hydrogenations, Michael additions, osmylations, epoxidations, allylations, aldol condensations and Diels-Alder reactions. Promotion of the Diels-Alder reaction with a diaminoalane derived from the (S,S)-diamine is demonstrated in the synthesis of (1S,endo)-3-(BICYCLO[2.2.1]HEPT-5-EN-2-YLCARBONYL)-2-OXAZOLIDINONE. 

Rhodium(i) complexes are excellent catalysts for the 1,4-addition of aryl- or 1-alkenylboron, -silicon, and -tin compounds to a,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. In contrast, there are few reports on the palladium(n) complex-catalyzed 1,4-addition to enones126,126a for the easy formation of C-bound enolate, which will result in /3-hydride elimination product of Heck reaction. Previously, Cacchi et al. described the palladium(n)-catalyzed Michael addition of ArHgCl or SnAr4 to enones in acidic water.127 Recently, Miyaura and co-workers reported the 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids and boroxines to a,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. A cationic palladium(n) complex [Pd(dppe)(PhCN)2](SbF6)2 was found to be an excellent catalyst for this reaction (dppe = l,2-bis(diphenyl-phosphine)ethane Scheme 42).128... 

Chiral, Lewis acidic bisoxazoline complexes of Mg(II) have been employed as catalysts in asymmetric Michael addition of O-benzyUiydroxylamine to unsaturated amides, (115) -> (116). The enantioselectivity (67-90% ee) was rationalized by transition state (117). This approach constimtes a promising methodology for the synthesis of jS-amino acids. °... 

The product of a Michael addition depends on the number of acidic protons present in the nitroalkane substrate. Nitroform, which has one acidic proton, can only react with one equivalent of Michael acceptor. Nitroform is a strong acid and sufficiently dissociated in solution so that it can be used in addition reactions without a base catalyst. The reaction of nitroform with unsaturated ketones has been investigated by Gilligan and Graff and used to synthesize a number of trinitromethyl-based explosives. 

Dicarbonyl compounds are widely used in organic synthesis as activated nucleophiles. Because of the relatively high acidity of the methylenic C—H of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, most reactions involving 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds are considered to be nucleophilic additions or substitutions of enolates. However, some experimental evidence showed that 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds could react via C—H activations. Although this concept is still controversial, it opens a novel idea to consider the reactions of activated C H bonds. The chiral bifunctional Ru catalysts were used in enantioselective C C bonds formation by Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with high yields and enantiomeric excesses. ... 

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