Allenes from alkynes

Closely related to both allyl carbenoids and the allenyl carbenoids discussed above, propargyl carbenoids 101 are readily generated in situ and insert into zirconacycles to afford species 102 (Scheme 3.27), which are closely related to species 84 derived from allenyl carbenoids [65], Protonation affords a mixture of allene and alkyne products, but the Lewis acid assisted addition of aldehydes is regioselective and affords the homopropargylic alcohol products 103 in high yield. Bicydic zirconacyclopentenes react similarly, but there is little diastereocontrol from the ring junction to the newly formed stereocenters. The r 3-propargyl complexes derived from saturated zirconacycles are inert towards aldehyde addition. 

Allenes from Prototropic Isomerizations of Alkynes as Reactive Intermediates... 

A related method was reported by Katritzky et al. [25], who prepared 1-alkoxy-l-(l,2,4-triazol-l-yl)allenes from the corresponding triazole-substituted alkynes, e.g. the reaction of 18 to 19 in Eq. 8.2. In this case the generated allenyl anion was trapped with methyl iodide. 

In general, sulfur-substituted allenes are accessible starting from alkyne precursors by a variety of transformations such as isomerization, rearrangement or addition reactions. The standard method for the synthesis of donor-substituted allenes is again the base-induced isomerization of alkynes. This very first method was applied for the preparation of achiral [11, 162, 163] and chiral [164] S-functionalized 1,2-dienes (Scheme 8.78). 

More attractive copper-catalyzed (mediated) transformations of allenes into alkynes were reported by Caporusso and co-workers [27f, 73-75], Allenes 142 were converted into alkynes 143 by treatment with stoichiometric amounts of a cuprate species, as exemplified in Scheme 14.35. The problem of regioselective formation of either alkyne 143 or allene 144 was solved by the proper choice of the organometallic species. Preferential formation of alkynes 143 could be achieved employing cuprates such as R3Cu(CN)ZnCl-LiCl, which are prepared from organozinc compounds. On the other hand, reactions of organomagnesium derived cuprates (R3CuBr)Mg-LiBr mostly provided allenes 144 as major components. 

Results of investigations on the biosynthesis of neoxanthin (30) and peridinin (6) from 3H- and I4C-labeled mevanolate by the alga Amphidinium carterae are not in accordance with the formation of the exocyclic allene from an alkyne I. E. Swift, B. V. Milborrow, Biochem.J. 1981, 299, 69-74. 

The thermal isomerization of higher terminal alkynes also delivered some allene, from 1-hexyne and 1-heptyne, for example, some 1,2-diene was formed [30]. With an ,/l-unsaturated unit in the alkyne 9, a photochemical isomerization to 10 was successful but delivered only a low yield and 11 as a significant side-product [31]. These reactions tolerate different functional groups alcohols, ethers or, as in 12, tertiary amines and nitriles have been used (Scheme 1.5) [32, 33],... 

Silacyclopropenes are commonly formed from the addition of a silylene to an alkyne, or in some cases as the result of photolysis of an alkynyldisilane (see Section III.C). Substituted silacyclopropenes have been shown to undergo both 1,2- or 1,3-shifts when photolyzed, yielding silyl-substituted allenes or alkynes, respectively2. More complex behavior was observed with methylenesilacyclopropenes such as 2323 which ring-opened to a diene, as shown in Scheme 4. 

Similar to the abovementioned silver nhc coordination compounds, carbene chemistry has also been dominant in the field of gold organometallic chemistry. Noteworthy examples include a Au(PPh3)-compound derived from tetraaminoallene, that can be rationalised in terms of a dicarbene with ylide character and which, owing to the electron-rich character of the central carbon atom, offers the potential for dimetallation products.108 Non-activated allenes and alkynes have been found by Lavallo to be readily aminated by cationic carbene gold complexes.109 For this purpose, a 2,6-diisopropylphenyl functionalized cyclic alkylaminocarbene gold(I) complex... 

Nina A. Nedolya was born in Irkutsk (Russia) and educated in organic chemistry at the Irkutsk State University (Diploma 1972, PhD 1982, DSc 1998). From 1995 to 1999 she was associated with Prof. L. Brandsma at the Utrecht University (The Netherlands). In 1999 she obtained her second PhD from the Utrecht University. She is presently Head of the Research Group of Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds at A. E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry. She is the author of over 210 review articles and research papers. She is also one of the inventors for 112 patents. She is interested in the chemistry of polyfunctional unsaturated heteroatomic systems (vinyl, allenyl, and alkynyl ethers and their derivatives, linear and cyclic heteropolyenes, hetero-cumulenes), including synthesis of important heterocycles, particularly pyrroles, thiophenes, thiazoles, imidazoles, dihydrofurans, dihydropyridines, pyridines, quinolines, dihydroazepines, and azepines, based on metallated allenes or alkynes and/or heterocumulenes. 

Heterocycle formation, for example, dihydropyrans from allenes and (Z)-3-iodo-2-propenols, and isoquinolines from alkynes and A-f-butyKo-iodobenzylidenelimines," is an extension of the versatile Heck reaction. 

Additives (cosolvents) which serve as ligands have great influence on the reducing power of Smlj. Allylic and propargylic derivatives are reduced via it-allylpalladium species, and the proton source has important effects on the generation of allenes or alkynes. Chiral allenic esters are obtained when pantolactone delivers a proton to racemic organosamarium species derived from 4-phosphato-2-alkynoic esters. ... 

This behaviour correponds to the observation that other unsaturated hydrocarbons, e.g. alkynes, allenes or 1,3-butadienes, which readily undergo transition metal catalyzed cyclooligomerizations, do also incorporate CX multiple bonds in such cycloadditions only with difficulty in most cases 207 208). Besides the well known cobalt-catalyzed pyridin synthesis from alkynes and nitriles98 cocyclooligomerizations have been achieved with alkynes on one side and isocyanates 209), carbodiimides210) and carbondioxide 211) on the other side as well as with 1,3-butadienes and aldehydes 212), carbondioxide213 and 2-aza- or 2,3-diaza- 1,3-butadiene214. ... 

The high regioselectivity in the formation of a-allenic alcohols from boron reagents at low temperature is markedly different from that seen with the titanium reagent derived from 1-trimethylsilyl-l-bu-tyne, in which exclusive formation of 3-alkynic alcohols is observed. This result was explained by a rapid exchange between the allenic and alkynic structures, as shown in equation (2). The alkynic structure is thermodynamically less stable and kinetically more reactive than that of the allenic form. At lower temperature, the rate of equilibrum becomes faster than the subsequent reaction with aldehydes and thus the alkynic species becomes the major reaction form. 

Oxidation of allenes and alkynes. The oxidation promoted by cetylpyri-dinium peroxotungstophosphate in an alcoholic solvent produces a-alkoxy ketones from allenes and a,/3-epoxy ketones from alkynes (along with a,/3-unsaturated ketones). Diphenylacetylene gives benzil (93% yield at 45% conversion). 

Hydrostannation of 1-alkynes does provide vinyltins (equation 29), but these reactions may not be stereospecific or give the desired regiospecificity. Other methods from alkynes are shown in equations 30 and 31 and Scheme 6. Stannyl cupration of allenes (using (Bu3Sn)2CuLi or (Bu3Sn)BuCuLi) also leads to allyl- and vinylstannanes. ... 

Similarly, enynes substituted at the alkyne with an aryl group led to products resulting from a formal intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition occurring at an unusual low temperature (equation 64). On the other hand, substrates with = H or = Me, R = H gave cyclobutenes with Au(i)25,34 qj. catalysts. Dienynes react with cationic Au(I) catalysts leading to products of formal [4 + 2] cycloaddition as well (equation 65). Somewhat related cyclizations of allenes with alkynes and diynes have been described. 

Trialkylalkynylborates with substituents in the alkyl chain of the alkyne unit may sometimes behave differently from the unsubstituted analogues. Thus, reaction of lithium 3-acetoxyalk-l-ynes with trialkylboranes gives allenyldialkylboranes which may be converted into allenes or alkynes (Scheme 14), ° whilst lithium 4-tosy-... 

---