Alkenes zinc enolate addition

Scheme 2.23 provides some examples of conjugate addition reactions. Entry 1 illustrates the tendency for reaction to proceed through the more stable enolate. Entries 2 to 5 are typical examples of addition of doubly stabilized enolates to electrophilic alkenes. Entries 6 to 8 are cases of addition of nitroalkanes. Nitroalkanes are comparable in acidity to (i-ketocslcrs (see Table 1.1) and are often excellent nucleophiles for conjugate addition. Note that in Entry 8 fluoride ion is used as the base. Entry 9 is a case of adding a zinc enolate (Reformatsky reagent) to a nitroalkene. Entry 10 shows an enamine as the carbon nucleophile. All of these reactions were done under equilibrating conditions. 

The addition of zinc enolates to alkenes in the intramolecular version finds several examples in recent literature. Thus, hydrazone 155, subjected to the same treatment reported for 151 (equation 80), undergoes diastereoselective 5-exo-trig (n = 1) or 6-exo-trig (n = 2) carbocyclization to yield -156, which on reaction with the electrophile E+ gives 157 (equation 81)174. 

Besides the activation of the olefinic partner by a metal, the unfavorable thermodynamics associated with the addition of an enolate to a carbon—carbon multiple bond could be overwhelmed by using a strained alkene such as a cyclopropene derivative286. Indeed, Nakamura and workers demonstrated that the butylzinc enolate derived from A-methyl-5-valerolactam (447) smoothly reacted with the cyclopropenone ketal 78 and subsequent deuterolysis led to the -substituted cyclopropanone ketal 448, indicating that the carbometallation involved a syn addition process. Moreover, a high level of diastereoselectivity at the newly formed carbon—carbon bond was observed (de = 97%) (equation 191). The butylzinc enolates derived from other amides, lactams, esters and hydrazones also add successfully to the strained cyclopropenone ketal 78. Moreover, the cyclopropylzincs generated are stable and no rearrangements to the more stable zinc enolates occur after the addition. 

By contrast with the above examples which involve activated olefins, the addition of zinc enolates to unactivated alkenes is much more difficult to achieve. Although ethylene seems to be an acceptable partner for such additions, the reactions have to be carried out under pressure and require relatively long reaction times. Thus, the butylzinc aza-enolate generated from the SAMP hydrazone of cyclohexanone 452 reacted slowly with ethylene... 

Methylene difluorocyclopropanes are relatively rare and their rearrangement chemistry has been reviewed recently [14]. In addition, electron deficient alkenes such as sesquiterpenoid methylene lactones may be competent substrates. Two crystal structures of compounds prepared in this way were reported recently [15,16]. Other relatively recent methods use dibromodifluoromethane, a relatively inexpensive and liquid precursor. Dolbier and co-workers described a simple zinc-mediated protocol [17], while Balcerzak and Jonczyk described a useful reproducible phase transfer catalysed procedure (Eq. 6) using bromo-form and dibromodifluoromethane [18]. The only problem here appears to be in separating cyclopropane products from alkene starting material (the authors recommend titration with bromine which is not particularly amenable for small scale use). Schlosser and co-workers have also described a mild ylide-based approach using dibromodifluoromethane [19] which reacts particularly well with highly nucleophilic alkenes such as enol ethers [20], and remarkably, with alkynes [21] to afford labile difluorocyclopropenes (Eq. 7). 

The addition of carboxylic acids to alkynes affords enol esters which are useful as intermediates in organic synthesis.470 As in the addition to alkenes, a catalyst is usually required for high conversions of alkynes to enol esters. Simple acid catalysis has been employed (equation 279),471 but the more common catalysts are Lewis acids, such as boron trifluoride etherate,472 silver nitrate,473 zinc acetate474 and zinc oxide (equations 280 and 281),47S-476... 

With an acceptor-substituted alkene moiety tethered to the molecule, the intermediate silyl enol ether may undergo an intramolecular [2-I-2] cycloaddition.The silyl-assisted addition of hydrogen halides to cyclopropanes is not restricted to ketones with carbonyl groups as activating function or iodide as nucleophile. Esters and other acid derivatives underwent similar reactions when treated with iodotrimethylsilane alone or in the presence of an additional catalyst such as mercury(II) or zinc(II) chloride.Subsequent treatment of the y-iodo ester with potassium carbonate in tetrahydrofuran gave the respective y-butyrolactones in good yield. 

Addition of an T -allyl-Fp complex to this compound affords an T -aIlyl-Fp-substituted cycloheptatriene system. Two double bonds are involved in an (T -diene)iron complex. The remaining free double bond of the silyl enol ether attacks as a nucleophile at the cationic r -alkene-Fp moiety to form an (Tj -diene)iron complexed cyclopentane annulated cycloheptadienone. Treatment with CAN in methanol under carbon monoxide atmosphere releases the methoxycarbonyl-substituted free ligand (Scheme 4-25). Reaction of the Ti -dienyliumiron intermediate of Scheme 4-25 with an ( , Z)-isomeric mixture of ri -crotyl-Fp proceeds with high diastereoselectivity. Four new stereogenic centers are formed in the course of this formal [3+2] cycloaddition. A hetero [3+2] cycloaddition is also feasible between T -ailyl-Fp complexes and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of zinc chloride or titanium(IV) chloride to provide tetrahydrofuran derivatives (Scheme 4-26). A 1,2-shift of the iron complex fragment occurs in the course of this reaction. Employment of imines affords the corresponding pyrrolidines. ... 

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