Alkenes carboazidation

The radical carboazidation of alkenes has been achieved in water using triethylborane as initiator [118]. This efficient process is complete in one hour at room temperature in an open to air reaction vessel (Scheme 54, Eq. 54a). These new tin-free carboazidation conditions are environmentally friendly and allow to run reactions with an excess of either the alkene or the radical precursor. They are also suitable for simple radical azidation of alkyl iodides as well as for more complex cascade reactions involving annulation processes (Eq. 54b). In both reactions (Eq. 54a and 54b), an excess of triethylborane (3 equivalents) is required to obtain a good yield. This may be an indication that the chain process, more precisely the reaction between the phenylsul-fonyl radical and Et3B, is not efficient. 

The intermolecular addition of carbon-centered radicals to unactivated alkenes followed by azidation (a formal carboazidation of alkenes) has been reported. A one-pot procedure similar to the one used for intramolecular reactions gives good results (Scheme 8.28). Slow addition of benzenesulfonyl azide is not necessary because this electrophilic reagent does not react with the initial electrophilic or ambiphilic radicals. Excellent results are obtained with a-iodo and -xanthate esters. a-Bromoacetates give also satisfactory results. The carboazidation process allows to prepare pyrroUdinone derivatives in a straightforward manner (Scheme 8.28, bottom example). A tin-free version of this reaction using triethylborane instead of hexabutylditin has also been reported. ... 

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