Alkylidenes heteroatom substituents

The same authors have demonstrated that 1,3-diynes behave in predictable yet distinctive manners compared to simple enynes under electrophilic transition metal-mediated reaction conditions. This characteristic behaviour of 1,3-diynes is presumably caused by the slightly electron-withdrawing nature of the alkynyl substituent, which not only renders preferentially the formation of 5-exotype alkylidenes but also allows for the subsequent [l,3]-metallotropic shift. Several salient features of reactions with this functionality include the following (a) an acetate is more reactive than the tethered alkene as an initiator, generating [l,2]-acetate migrated alkylidene intermediate, whereas an alkene is a better terminator than an acetate/bromide to generate the cyclopropane moiety (b) allene products are not formed at all under current reaction conditions (c) 5-exo/6-endo-type alkylidene formation depends on the heteroatom substituent in the tether (d) facile metallotropic [1,3]-shift of the intermediate alkylidenes occurred whenever possible. 

The first carbene compound to be well characterized was prepared in 1966 and was one of many Fischer-Type Carbene Complexes to be reported (see equation 7). Fischer carbenes are characterized by heteroatom substituents at the carbene carbon, stabilization by a low-valent metal center, and a partial positive charge at the carbene carbon. In contrast, Schrock-Type Carbene Complexes, or alkylidenes," that have alkyl substituents, are found on metal centers in higher oxidation states, and are nucleophihc at carbon. Many Fischer carbenes are known for chromium, whereas chromium alkylidenes are much less common. Monohalocarbenes of chromium, for example, (OC)5Cr=C(F)NEt2, have also been extensively investigated." Two carbene reactions of note for their application to organic synthesis are the cycloaddition of alkenes with carbene complexes and the reaction of aromatic carbenes with aUcynes to yield complexed naphthols (the Dotz reaction ). ... 

Alkylidenes have been prepared by reduction of alkyli-dynes, by C H oxidative addition from alkyls, and by treatment of unsaturated metal clusters with diazoalkanes. In most instances, the alkylidene adopts a /r2-h coordination mode. However, alkylidenes with heteroatom substituents may also be found in terminal coordination modes. The latter are typically prepared by the Fischer-type carbene route (see Fischer-type Carbene Complexes) (sequential addition of nucleophilic and electrophilic alkylating agents to carbonyl or isocyanide ligands), by condensation of metal fragments with mono- or dimetallic carbene complexes, or by C-H activation of alkylamines. These heteroatom substituted carbenes may also bind in a p3-ri mode, as in (12). 

High oxidation state alkylidene complexes in which a heteroatom is bound to the alkylidene carbon atom are extremely rare [41]. Since the approach shown in Eq. 43 failed, the related approach shown in Eq. 44 was taken to prepare the medium-sized ring subunits [222]. The latter product was formed in good yield when n=2, R H, R2=Et, but only poor yield when n=2, R =Et, R2=H, possibly due to unfavorable interactions between the ethyl substituent and transannular groups in the transition state for cyclization of the allyl ether [222]. Ruthenium catalysts either failed or gave low yields, presumably because of the steric hindrance associated with ring-closing dienes of this type. 

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