Allenyl groups from alkynes

Allenylcobaloximes, e.g. 26, react with bromotrichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroacetonitrile, methyl trichloroacetate and bromoform to afford functionalized terminal alkynes in synthetically useful yields (Scheme 11.10). The nature of the products formed in this transformation points to a y-specific attack of polyhaloethyl radicals to the allenyl group, with either a concerted or a stepwise formation of coba-loxime(II) 27 and the substituted alkyne [62, 63]. Cobalt(II) radical 27 abstracts a bromine atom (from BrCCl3) or a chlorine atom (e.g. from C13CCN), which leads to a regeneration of the chain-carrying radical. It is worth mentioning that the reverse reaction, i.e. the addition of alkyl radicals to stannylmethyl-substituted alkynes, has been applied in the synthesis of, e.g., allenyl-substituted thymidine derivatives [64],... 

Hashmi et al. investigated a number of different transition metals for their ability to catalyze reactions of terminal allenyl ketones of type 96. Whereas with Cu(I) [57, 58] the cycloisomerization known from Rh(I) and Ag(I) was observed (in fact the first observation that copper is also active for cycloisomerizations of allenes), with different sources of Pd(II) the dimer 97 was observed (Scheme 15.25). Under optimized conditions, 97 was the major product. Numerous substituents are tolerated, among them even groups that are known to react also in palladium-catalyzed reactions. Examples of these groups are aryl halides (including iodides ), terminal alkynes, 1,6-diynes, 1,6-enynes and other allenes such as allenylcarbinols. This che-moselectivity might be explained by the mild reaction conditions. 

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. 

Several groups also used NHC-Ag catalysis in order to promote the reaction of a terminal alkyne with an electrophile. Following this process, Sono-gashira couplings and the addition of alkynes to isatins or C02 were described. In the last case, supported NHC-Ag nanoparticles were used. The efficiency of the process was attributed to both the activation of the alkyne by the NHC-Ag complex and the activation of CO2 by a free NHC moiety in a cooperative manner. CO2 insertion has also been exploited in order to synthesize cyclic carbonates and carbamates by NHC-Ag catalysis starting from epoxides, propargyl alcohols or allenyl amines [eqn (11.4)]. ... 

---