Alkenes catalyst stereoselectivity

Ni-Gr I.1 This nickel catalyst reduces disubstituted alkynes to cis-alkenes the stereoselectivity is comparable to that observed with Lindlar catalyst or nickel boride (3, 208 -210 5,471-472). 

The relay strategy has also been applied to selective alkene cross metathesis (CM). Very recently, Kim and coworkers reported the total synthesis of (+)-3-(Z)-isolaureatin (64) via this strategy (Fig. 20) [65]. The crucial cross metathesis of alkene for stereoselective introduction of the (Z)-enyne unit was successfully realized in 76% yield in the presence of Grubbs catalyst (67) using Lee s protocol. The relay precursor, enyne (66), was subjected to the reaction mixture to initiate the desired process. 

The stereoselectivity of this reaction depends on how the alkene approaches the catalyst surface As the molecular model m Figure 6 3 shows one of the methyl groups on the bridge carbon lies directly over the double bond and blocks that face from easy access to the catalyst The bottom face of the double bond is more exposed and both hydrogens are transferred from the catalyst surface to that face... 

Hydrogenation of alkynes to alkenes using the Lindlai catalyst is attractive because it sidesteps the regioselectivity and stereoselectivity issues that accompany the dehydration of alcohols and dehydrohalogenation of alkyl halides. In tenns of regioselectivity, the position of the double bond is never in doubt—it appears in the carbon chain at exactly the sane place where the triple bond was. In tenns of stereoselectivity, only the cis alkene forms. Recall that dehydration and dehydrohalogenation normally give a cis-trans mixture in which the cis isomer is the minor product. 

Dipolar cydoadditions are one of the most useful synthetic methods to make stereochemically defined five-membered heterocydes. Although a variety of dia-stereoselective 1,3-dipolar cydoadditions have been well developed, enantioselec-tive versions are still limited [29]. Nitrones are important 1,3-dipoles that have been the target of catalyzed enantioselective reactions [66]. Three different approaches to catalyzed enantioselective reactions have been taken (1) activation of electron-defident alkenes by a chiral Lewis acid [23-26, 32-34, 67], (2) activation of nitrones in the reaction with ketene acetals [30, 31], and (3) coordination of both nitrones and allylic alcohols on a chiral catalyst [20]. Among these approaches, the dipole/HOMO-controlled reactions of electron-deficient alkenes are especially promising because a variety of combinations between chiral Lewis acids and electron-deficient alkenes have been well investigated in the study of catalyzed enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions. Enantioselectivities in catalyzed nitrone cydoadditions sometimes exceed 90% ee, but the efficiency of catalytic loading remains insufficient. 

Of greater potential practical significance, however, are the note193 and full papers194,195 in which Fabre, Julia and Verpeaux describe a new stereoselective synthesis of trisubstituted alkenes in which vinyl sulphones are attacked by Grignard reagents in the presence of iron or nickel catalysts (equations 82-84). 

Thus far, chemists have been able to influence the stereoselectivity of macro-cyclic RCM through steric and electronic substrate features or by the choice of a catalyst with appropriate activity, but there still exists a lack of prediction over the stereochemistry of macrocyclic RCM. One of the most important extensions of the original metathesis reaction for the synthesis of stereochemi-cally defined (cyclo)alkenes is alkyne metathesis, followed by selective partial hydrogenation. 

A more practical, atom-economic and environmentally benign aziridination protocol is the use of chloramine-T or bromamine-T as nitrene source, which leads to NaCl or NaBr as the sole reaction by-product. In 2001, Gross reported an iron corrole catalyzed aziridination of styrenes with chloramine-T [83]. With iron corrole as catalyst, the aziridination can be performed rmder air atmosphere conditions, affording aziridines in moderate product yields (48-60%). In 2004, Zhang described an aziridination with bromamine-T as nitrene source and [Fe(TTP)Cl] as catalyst [84]. This catalytic system is effective for a variety of alkenes, including aromatic, aliphatic, cyclic, and acyclic alkenes, as well as cx,p-unsaturated esters (Scheme 28). Moderate to low stereoselectivities for 1,2-disubstituted alkenes were observed indicating the involvement of radical intermediate. 

Alkynes are much more reactive toward hydroalumination than alkenes. Hence, they readily react with both dialkylaluminum hydrides and LiAlH4 under mild conditions in the absence of a catalyst [1]. However, it is not always possible to avoid side reactions and subsequent transformation of the vinylalanes formed in this transformation [81, 82]. In addition, ds-trans-isomerization of the metallated C=C bond can take place, thereby reducing the stereoselectivity of the overall reaction [83]. 

Cp2Zr(H)(Cl) (8). The apparent record for catalyzed double bond movement is on 9-decene-l-ol to decanal (nine positions) using Fe3(CO)i2 (9). However, 30 mol % was required, which means that nearly a mole of metal was used per mole of alkenol. Herein we expand upon our initial report (10) of a very active catalyst (1) which has been shown to move a double bond over 30 positions. Catalyst 1 appears to have an intriguing and useful mode of action, in which the pendant base ligand performs proton transfer on coordinated alkene and Ti-allyl intermediates in a stereoselective fashion. 

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