Aldehydes reactions with allyl organometallics

One of the important new directions in the study of addition reactions of organozinc compounds to aldehydes is the use of ionic liquids. Usually, application of these compounds in reactions with common organometallic reagents has a serious problem ionic solvents are usually reactive toward them, particularly Grignard and organolithium derivatives. It has been recently reported that carbonyl compounds react with allylzinc bromide formed in situ from allyl bromide and zinc in the ionic liquid 3-butyl-l-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [bmim][BF4].285 Another important finding is that the more reactive ZnEt2 alkylates aldehydes in a number of ionic liquids at room temperature.286 The best yields (up to 96%) were obtained in A-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate, [bpy][BF4] (Scheme 107). 

The purpose of this review is to provide a summary (through to the end of 1988) of the uncatalyzed reactions of type I and type III allyl organometallics with C X electrophiles. Most of the examples involve aldehydes and ketones, but the reactions of allyl organometallics with imines are also covered. Because the focus of this review is on selectivity and synthetic efficiency, this review is not intended to be as comprehensive as an Organic Reactions chapter or a Chemical Reviews article. Rather, we have attempted to define and illustrate the factors that influence stereoselectivity, to provide access to the most pertinent literature, and, most importantly, to provide a basis for selection of an allyl organometallic reagent for application in specific synthetic problems. 

Substituted gem-dimetallic compounds, readily obtained via allylation of alkenyl organometallics, react with aldehydes in the presence of BF3-Et20 but do not react with ketones. When alkylidenemalonates are used instead of aldehydes, the Z-olefins see (E) (Z) Isomers) are obtained with a very high stereoselectivity (Scheme 35). A transmetallation reaction with copper cyanide significantly increases the reactivity of gm-dimetallic derivatives via formation of 1,1-zinca cyanocuprates. Indeed, when these compounds react with... 

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