Alkynes, metal mediated metalation

A catalytic tandem cyclopropanation-ring-closing metathesis of dienyne 80 led to derivative 81 in good yield (Scheme 30 <2004JA9524>). For internal alkynes, carbene-mediated ring-closing enyne metathesis was observed. Less favorable alkyne binding leads to preferential reactions of the metal carbene with the 1-alkene moiety. 

A number of other mechanistic sequences are thought to occur in alkyne trimerizations mediated by other metal systems. Catalysts derived from Co2(CO)s follow a characteristic sequence of steps that involves exclusively dinuclear complexes (Scheme 26). The nature of the final (alkyne)3C02(CO)4 intermediate, a so-called flyover complex, is supported by both X-ray crystal structure data as well as its involvement in forming other products besides benzenes. These dinuclear cobalt systems are note-... 

The Pauson-Khand reaction gives the same product as the group 4 metal-mediated reductive coupling and carbonylation, and both reactions proceed by essentially the same mechanism formation of an alkyne-metal tt complex, insertion of an alkene, insertion of CO, and reductive elimination. Some details differ, however. When an alkyne is added to Co2(CO)g, CO evolves, and an isolable, chromatographable alkyne-Co2(CO)6 complex is obtained. This butterfly complex contains four Co(II)-C bonds, and the Co-Co bond is retained. The formation of the alky n e-C o2 (C O) 6 complex involves the formation of an ordinary tt complex of the alkyne with one Co(0) center, with displacement of CO. The tt complex can be written in its Co(II) cobaltacyclopropene resonance structure. The tt bond of the cobaltacyclopropene is then used to form a tt complex to the other Co center with displacement of another equivalent of CO. This second tt complex can also be written in its cobaltacyclopropene resonance structure. The alkyne-Co2(CO)6 complex has two 18-electron Co(II) centers. 

A unique method to generate the pyridine ring employed a transition metal-mediated 6-endo-dig cyclization of A-propargylamine derivative 120. The reaction proceeds in 5-12 h with yields of 22-74%. Gold (HI) salts are required to catalyze the reaction, but copper salts are sufficient with reactive ketones. A proposed reaction mechanism involves activation of the alkyne by transition metal complexation. This lowers the activation energy for the enamine addition to the alkyne that generates 121. The transition metal also behaves as a Lewis acid and facilitates formation of 120 from 118 and 119. Subsequent aromatization of 121 affords pyridine 122. 

The total synthesis of ( )-estrone [( )-1 ] by Vollhardt et al. is a novel extension of transition metal mediated alkyne cyclotrimeriza-tion technology. This remarkable total synthesis is achieved in only five steps from 2-methylcyclopentenone (19) in an overall yield of 22%. The most striking maneuver in this synthesis is, of course, the construction of tetracycle 13 from the comparatively simple diyne 16 by combining cobalt-mediated and ort/io-quinodimethane cycloaddition reactions. This achievement bodes well for future applications of this chemistry to the total synthesis of other natural products. 

Scheme 37 Transmetalation of chromium to nickel in a metal carbene-mediated cyclisation reaction (L=cod, MeCN, alkyne)...

M-substituted 2-pyridones can be prepared by N-alkylation, under basic conditions (pfCa of the amide proton is 11). The resulting anion can then react on either nitrogen or oxygen depending on the conditions employed [24-27]. Also, several direct methods for the construction of N-substituted 2-pyridones have been reported. Two such examples can be seen in Scheme 3 where the first example (a) is an intramolecular Dieckmann-type condensation [28] and the second (b) is a metal-mediated [2 -I- 2 + 2] reaction between alkynes with isocyanates [29,30]. 

Metal-mediated reductive coupling of alkenes and alkynes affords access to complicated organic structures, including carbocyclic and heterocyclic molecules, from readily available starting materials. While most of these coupling reactions were initially developed as stoichiometric processes, many selective, catalytic versions have been developed over the past decade these advancements have made reductive coupling much more attractive to synthetic chemists. 

Novel transition metal-mediated strategies were also well represented this past year. Takahashi and co-workers reported a s nickel-catalyzed reaction between azaziconacyclopentadienes (9) and alkynes to form pyridines (10) of varying substitution patterns <00JA4994>. This methodology, a formal cyclotrimerization, is also noteworthy since two different alkynes can be used. In similar fashion, Eaton reported an aqueous, cobalt(II) catalyzed cyclotrimerization between two identical acetylenes and one nitrile to afford substituted pyridines . 

The inter- and intramolecular catalytic reductive couplings of alkynes and aldehydes recently have experienced rapid growth and are the topic of several recent reviews.5 h-8k 107 With respect to early transition metal catalysts, there exists a single example of the catalytic reductive cyclization of an acetylenic aldehyde, which involves the titanocene-catalyzed conversion of 77a to ethylidene cyclopentane 77b mediated by (EtO)3SiH.80 This process is restricted to terminally substituted alkyne partners (Scheme 53). 

Malacria and co-workers76 were the first to report the transition metal-catalyzed intramolecular cycloisomerization of allenynes in 1996. The cobalt-mediated process was presumed to proceed via a 7r-allyl intermediate (111, Scheme 22) following C-H activation. Alkyne insertion and reductive elimination give cross-conjugated triene 112 cobalt-catalyzed olefin isomerization of the Alder-ene product is presumed to be the mechanism by which 113 is formed. While exploring the cobalt(i)-catalyzed synthesis of steroidal skeletons, Malacria and co-workers77 observed the formation of Alder-ene product 115 from cis-114 (Equation (74)) in contrast, trans-114 underwent [2 + 2 + 2]-cyclization under identical conditions to form 116 (Equation (75)). 

The metal-mediated and metal-catalyzed [6 + 2]- and [6 + 4]-cycloaddition reactions, pioneered by Pettit and co-workers105 106 and Kreiter and co-workers,107 respectively, involve the cycloaddition of metal-complexed cyclic trienes with 7r-systems such as alkenes, alkynes, and dienes. The [6 + 2]-reactions produce bicyclo[4.2.1]nonadiene derivatives and the [6 + 4]-reactions produce bicyclo[4.4.1]undecatrienes (Scheme 32). Trienes complexed to chromium, which can be prepared on large scale (40 g) as reported by Rigby and co-workers,108 react with 7r-systems upon thermolysis or irradiation.109-111 Chromium and iron-catalyzed [6 + 2]-reactions of cycloheptatrienes and disubstituted alkynes... 

Metal-mediated and -catalyzed [3 + 2 + 2]-higher-order cycloaddition reactions have also proved to be viable and mechanistically novel methods for the synthesis of seven-membered rings. The reported [3 + 2 + 2]-cycloadditions of allyliridium (Equation (30)),139 -allylcobalt (Scheme 47),140 and allylmanganese (Equation (31 ))141 complexes with alkynes involve the reaction of preformed allylmetal complexes with two separate alkynes, leading to a cycloheptadiene-metal complex. 

Barluenga and co-workers reported a novel [2 + 2 + 2 + 1 (-reaction based on the use of two metals, the nickel-mediated [2 + 2 + 2 + l]-reaction of Fischer carbenes with alkynes (Scheme 73).142 While, at present, this process requires the stoichiometric use of both metals, it is highly regioselective, affords good yields, and is a novel route to seven-membered rings. 

The hydration of alkynes represents a prime example in which simple coordinative activation by transition metal complexation greatly facilitates an otherwise very slow chemical process (Equation (107)). This reaction has been a long-studied problem, but only recently have alternatives to the classical use of catalysts such as Hg(n) salts been sought. These new catalyst systems typically display much enhanced reactivity, and some can mediate an anti-Markovnikov hydration through a novel mechanism (Table 1). 

Like alkynes, a variety of mechanistic motifs are available for the transition metal-mediated etherification of alkenes. These reactions are typically initiated by the attack of an oxygen nucleophile onto an 72-metalloalkene that leads to the formation of a metal species. As described in the preceding section, the G-O bond formation event can be accompanied by a wide range of termination processes, such as fl-H elimination, carbonylation, insertion into another 7r-bond, protonolysis, or reductive elimination, thus giving rise to various ether linkages. 

Transition metal mediated or catalyzed benzene formation reactions have been reported using various metals. However, the use of three different alkynes is difficult [38], In many cases, a mixture of several benzene derivatives is obtained. In 1974, Wakatsuki and Yamazaki used three different alkynes with Co complexes [27b], but isomers were formed and a tedious chromatographic separation was necessary. The first selective coupling of three different alkynes in high yields was reported in 1995 using a combination of unsymmetrical zirconacydopentadienes and CuCl, as shown in Eq. 2.52 [7k]. 

The method enables conversion of substituted alkynes to (fc)-2-methyl-1 -alkenylalumi-num species, and, by subsequent iodinolysis, to the corresponding iodoalkenes with retention of the double-bond configuration. Depending on the substitution pattern of the starting alkyne, many useful products emerge from this reaction, which themselves can serve as building blocks for transition metal-mediated or -catalyzed coupling reactions [59—62]. 

Abstract The transition metal mediated conversion of alkynes, alkenes, and carbon monoxide in a formal [2 + 2+1] cycloaddition process, commonly known as the Pauson-Khand reaction (PKR), is an elegant method for the construction of cyclopentenone scaffolds. During the last decade, significant improvements have been achieved in this area. For instance, catalytic PKR variants are nowadays possible with different metal sources. In addition, new asymmetric approaches were established and the reaction has been applied as a key step in various total syntheses. Recent work has also focused on the development of CO-free conditions, incorporating transfer carbonylation reactions. This review attempts to cover the most important developments in this area. 

Cobalt, as its CpCo(CO)2 complex, has proven to be especially suited to catalyze [2 + 2 + 2] cycloadditions of two alkyne units with an alkyne or alkene. These cobalt-mediated [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions have been studied in great detail by Vollhardt337. The generally accepted mechanism for these cobalt mediated cycloadditions, and similar transition metal mediated cycloadditions in general, has been depicted in equation 166. Consecutive co-ordination of two triple bonds to CpCo(CO)2 with concomitant extrusion of two molecules of carbon monoxide leads to intermediates 578 and 579 via monoalkyne complex 577. These react with another multiple bond to form intermediate 580. The conversion of 578 to 580 is said to be kinetically favored over that of 579 to 580. Because intermediates like 580 have never been isolated, it is still unclear whether the next step is a Diels-Alder reaction to form the final product or an insertion to form 581. The exact circumstances might determine which pathway is followed. 

Reduction of (312) has been found to afford the dimer (313) which upon heating rearranged to yield the unprecedented di(benzopentalene) complex (314). The regio- and stereo-specificity of the conversion (313) into (314) implies a metal-mediated pathway for the process (see Scheme 100). The first observable cis-bis(alkyne)cyclobutadiene rearrangement [see (315) to (316)] has been reported. 

Transition-metal-promoted cycloaddition is of much interest as a powerful tool for synthesis of carbocyclic stmcture in a single step. Utilization of carbon monoxide as a component of the cycloaddition reaction is now widely known as the Pauson-Khand reaction, which results in cyclopentenone formation starting from an alkyne, an alkene, and carbon monoxide mediated by cobalt catalyst. Although mechanistic understanding is limited, a commonly accepted mechanism is shown in Scheme 4.16. Formation of dicobalt-alkyne complex followed by alkene... 

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