Allenes from propargyl ethers

Alexakis, A. Marek, I. Mangeney, P. Nor-mant, J. F. Mechanistic aspects on the formation of chiral allenes from propargylic ethers and organocopper reagents. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1990, 112, 8042-8047. 

In another related and well-known [3,3]-sigmatropic shift usually performed under thermal conditions, the propargyl-Claisen rearrangement,62 silver salts were also able to catalyze the reaction. Silver tetrafluoroborate and hexafluoroantimonate proved to be the best catalysts for this reaction, leading quantitatively to allenic p-ketoesters when starting from propargyl ethers derived from p-ketoesters (Scheme 3.41).63 64... 

As mentioned in the Introduction, this chapter focuses on reactions that deliver allenes as the product. The principles discussed in Sections 1.2.1-1.2.9, of course, also allow the synthesis of allenes as reactive intermediates, which due to other functional groups that are present, undergo further reactions in situ. The most important examples here are base-catalyzed isomerizations to furans [347, 348] ring transfer reactions of propargylic ethers or amines [216, 349-371] and enyneallene cycliza-tion reactions starting from propargylic sulfones [372-375] and related substrates [376, 377]. Details are discussed, for example, in Chapters 16 and 20. 

The silver-catalyzed, propargyl Claisen rearrangement has also been combined with cyclization reactions. Propargyl ethers derived from [3-ketoesters were rearranged by silver hexafluoroantimonate and the resulting allenic [3-ketoesters cyclized on treatment with base, leading to the formation of 2/7-pyrans in moderate to excellent yields (Scheme 3.48).75 The cyclization process was described as a base-catalyzed... 

A range of highly substituted 277-pyrans has been synthesised from propargyl vinyl ethers (Scheme 1). Catalysis by Ag(I) results in rearrangement of the propargyl moiety to an allenic system. Isomerisation in DBU leads to a dienone which spontaneously electrocyclises to the stable pyran. In some instances ftirans arising from a 5-exo cyclisation are also formed and in... 

In the synthesis of 2//-naphtho[l,2-i]pyrans from 1-naphthols and l,l-diarylprop-2-yn-l-ols, initial protonation and loss of water from the latter generate an alkynyl carbocation, normally converted to the aryl propargyl ether. However, the concomitant formation of the highly coloured propenylidenenaphthalenones 12, a new class of merocyanine dyes, suggests attack of the allenic form of the cation at the 4-position of the naphthol followed by a 1,7-H shift <03EJ01220>. 

The conversion of a dimeric rr-bound methyl propargyl ether complex [Mo2(CO)4Cp2(At-Tj, i7--CH=CCH20Me)] (35) to the cationic allenyl complex [Mo2(CO)4Cp2(m-i7% i -CH=C=CH2] (36) has been described by Curtis et al. (25). Protonation of 35 with HBF4 induced the loss of methanol and formation of the required complex. Alternatively the same complex was reported accessible via the acid-promoted elimination of methanol from [Mo2(CO)4Cp2 M-T7%Tj -MeO(H)C=C=CH2 ], a rare example of an intact T7%Tj -bound allene (Scheme 9). 

Allenic samarium complexes have been generated from propargylic benzyl ethers and Cp 2Sm(THF)2 (Scheme 134).5"... 

The [2,3] Wittig rearrangement is a useful reaction involving a [2,3] sigmatropic shift, and has been used to obtain homopropargylic alcohols from allylic propargylic ethers with high stereoselectivity. The reaction has been modified by Marshall to provide a useful route to optically active allenic alcohols. 

Form Supplied in colorless liquid not commercially available. Analysis of Reagent Purity IR (tf) 2955,2900,1935,1250,1210, 1055,840,800,750, and 690 cm H NMR (60 MHz, CDCI3) 50.15 (s, 9H),4.27 (d, 2H, /= 7.7),4.88 (dd, IH,7= 6.6,7.7). Preparative Method two methods have been reported for the preparation of (trimethylsilyl)allene [(TMS)allene] (1). Reductive deoxygenation of the tosylhydrazone derivative affords the title compound in 51% yield. The tosylhydrazone is readily prepared from the corresponding aldehyde, which in turn is accessed by formylation of (trimethylsilyl)ethynylmagnesium bromide with DMF (eq 1). (TMS)allene has also been prepared by flash vacuum pyrolysis of methyl (trimethylsilyl)-propargyl ether, which is obtained from silylation of methyl propargyl ether (eq 2)7... 

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