Alcohols reductive coupling

An unprecedented nickel-catalyzed reductive coupling between an epoxide and an alkyne to give synthetically useful homoallylic alcohols has been developed by Jamison [55a], and was recently used in a short enantioselective synthesis of am-... 

One of the most gentle methods for the generation of reactive allylmetallic reagents was introduced in 1977 by Hiyama and Nozaki1,2,3,33. By the action of two equivalents of chromi-um(II) chloride on allylic halides in tetrahydrofuran at 0°C in the presence of a carbonyl compound, reductive coupling with the formation of a homoallylic alcohol takes place. 

The Grignard reagents prepared from the activated magnesium appear to react normally with electrophiles. Thus reactions with proton donors, ketones, and carbon dioxide afford hydrocarbons, alcohols, and carboxylic acids, respectively. The reductive coupling of ketones to pinacols had also been accomplished with the activated magnesium. ... 

In addition to the reductive coupling reaction of ketones, certain alcohols can also be reductively coupled using active uranium. Benzhydrol is coupled by active uranium to give TPA as the only coupled product. No TPE is seen. Under similar conditions, no coupling of benzyl alcohol is seen. The chemistry of the active uranium is under continued investigation. 

Iridium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of aldehyde 73 in the presence of 1,1-dimethylallene promotes tert-prenylation [64] to form the secondary neopentyl alcohol 74. In this process, isopropanol serves as the hydrogen donor, and the isolated iridium complex prepared from [Ir(cod)Cl]2, allyl acetate, m-nitrobenzoic acid, and (S)-SEGPHOS is used as catalyst. Complete levels of catalyst-directed diastereoselectivity are observed. Exposure of neopentyl alcohol 74 to acetic anhydride followed by ozonolysis provides p-acetoxy aldehyde 75. Reductive coupling of aldehyde 75 with allyl acetate under transfer hydrogenation conditions results in the formation of homoallylic alcohol 76. As the stereochemistry of this addition is irrelevant, an achiral iridium complex derived from [Ir(cod)Cl]2, allyl acetate, m-nitrobenzoic acid, and BIPHEP was employed as catalyst (Scheme 5.9). 

Complexes of N-N bonded dinitrogen dioxide, such as depicted in pathway B of Scheme 5, would appear to be necessary in order to effect the formation of the N-N bond. This has been treated theoretically as a metal promoted reductive coupling of 2 NO to form a hyponitrite complex (79). The Cu Tp112) system was also shown to catalyze NO oxidations of benzyl and isopropyl alcohol to benzaldehyde and acetone (Eq. (37)). Electrospray mass spectrometry indicated that higher... 

The Barhier-type reaction of aldehydes and ketones with allyl halides (485) in the presence of Sml2, leading to homoallyl alcohols (486), has received recent interest as a one-step alternative to the Grignard reaction. However, the reactions require the use of stoichiometric amounts of the reducing Sm(III) species. Recently, the electroreductive Barhier-type allylation of carbonyl compounds in an SmH-mediated reaction has been developed [569]. The electrolysis of (485) is carried out in a DMF-SmCl3-(Mg/Ni) system in an undivided cell to give the adduct (486) in 50 85% yields (Scheme 168) [569]. Electrosynthesis of y-butyrolactones has been achieved by the reductive coupling of ethyl 3-chloropropionate with carbonyl compounds in the presence of a catalytic amount of SmCfi [570]. 

The alcohol-unsaturate couplings developed in our laboratory provide products of carbonyl addition. In contrast, related hydrogen auto-transfer processes provide products of alcohol substitution via pathways involving oxidation-condensation-reduction and the use of preactivated nucleophiles. For recent reviews, see [22-25]. 

Scheme 7.32 Reductive coupling reactions of propargylic alcohols.

Alcohol dehydrogenase (coupled to formate dehydrogenase for - Reduction of ketones in phosphate buffer / n-heptane [65]... 

Reductive coupling of alkenes and l -dienes. In the presence of Hg(OAc), or Hg(OAc), HgO (I 1) and NaBH(OCH,), 1,3-dienes undergo reductive coupling in methanol with alkenes substituted with election-withdrawing groups (CN, CCXX H, ( C)C ll 1) to form the methyl ether of allyl alcohols. ... 

Coupling ofallylic acetates with ketones homoallylic alcohols In the presence of Pd[P(C6H5)3]4, Sml2 effects reductive coupling of allylic acetates with ketones to form homoallylic alcohols in 50-95% yield. 

On the pages which follow, general methods are illustrated for the synthesis of a wide variety of classes of organic compounds including acyl isocyanates (from amides and oxalyl chloride p. 16), epoxides (from reductive coupling of aromatic aldehydes by hexamethylphosphorous triamide p. 31), a-fluoro acids (from 1-alkenes p. 37), 0-lactams (from olefins and chlorosulfonyl isocyanate p. 51), 1 y3,5-triketones (from dianions of 1,3-diketones and esters p. 57), sulfinate esters (from disulfides, alcohols, and lead tetraacetate p. 62), carboxylic acids (from carbonylation of alcohols or olefins via carbonium-ion intermediates p. 72), sulfoxides (from sulfides and sodium periodate p. 78), carbazoles... 

Reductive coupling of dialdehydes may also be accomplished by use of samarium(II) iodide514. The reactions is stereoselective and has been used to prepare myo-inositol derivatives (equation 132)515. The equivalent reaction, using low-valent titanium species as catalysts, results in a mixture of products516. The production of cyclic /1-amino alcohols may be accomplished in good yields, and with a high degree of cis selectivity by the treatment of carbonyl hydrazones with samarium(II) iodide (equation 133)517. This reaction is effectively equivalent to an aza-Barbier reaction. 

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