Allenyl halides, reactions

Allenyl cations have been generated by solvolysis of allenic derivatives, by photolysis of allenyl halides and by reaction of metal salts with allenyl and propargyl halides. This review will delineate these reactions. The related butatrienyl cations are not many and they will be only briefly described. 

In the early 1980s, one of the first preparations of substituted allenes was reported, which employed a palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of allenyl halides [9]. In this study, allenyl bromides 13 and various Grignard reagents 14 were coupled in the presence of catalytic amounts of a Pd(0) species, generated in situ by reduction of a Pd(II) salt. Trisubstituted allenes 15 were obtained with high regioselectivity (allene 15 alkyne 16 = 90 10 to 99 1) (Scheme 14.5). 

The cross-coupling reactions of allenes with components containing sp-carbon atoms are useful synthetic transformations since they provide yne-allenes and enyne-allenes, respectively. Due to the synthetic potential of these classes of carbon-rich unsaturated compounds, the scope and limitations were systematically investigated [1, 16-18]. The first synthetic application was reported in 1981, describing the preparation of alkynyl-substituted allenes by coupling of alkynylzinc chlorides with allenyl halides (Scheme 14.8) [11]. 

A complementary approach for cross-couplings with allenes was applied by using metallated allene species instead of allenyl halides, which have already been discussed in Sect. 14.2.1. Since allenyllithium compounds are readily available by deprotonation of allenes with n-butyllithium, successful cross-coupling reactions between lithiated allenes such as 54 or 57 and aryl or vinylic halides allowed convenient routes to aryl- and vinyl-substituted allenes, e.g. 55, 58 and 60 (Scheme 14.15) [30],... 

Cross-Coupling Reactions of Allenes Producing Compounds with an Intact 1,2-Diene Moiety 849 Cross-Coupling Reactions of Allenyl Halides 849 Cross-Coupling Reactions of Allenylmetal Compounds 856 Cross-Coupling Reactions of a-Substituted Allenes 860 Cross-Coupling Reactions of Allenes at the Central Position 862 Synthesis of Alkynes 870 Miscellaneous Reactions 872 Conclusion 873... 

The rearrangement occurs more readily when activating groups (aryl, carboxyl, etc.) are attached to the triple bond. Jacobs [38] reports that a reaction involving adsorption of an acetylenic compound on an active basic surface has led to the practical synthesis of arylallenes, allenyl ethers, allenyl halides, and other substituted allenes. 

D. Cross-coupling Reactions with Allenyl Halides. 1283... 

The coupling reaction of a-keto esters with allyl, propargyl, and allenyl halides using indium metal in aqueous solvents affords a-hydroxy-y,<5-unsaturated esters (Equation (28)).197,198 1,3-Dicarbonyl compounds undergo efficient carbonyl allylation reactions in an aqueous medium through a Barbier-type reaction (Equation (29)). The reaction is general and a variety of 1,3-dicarbonyls has been alkylated using allyl bromide or allyl chloride in conjunction with indium.199... 

The catalytic pair Ni(CN)2/Bu4N Br readily catalyzes the biphasic carbonyla-tion of a-haloalkynes [144, 145] and allenyl halides [145]. The first reaction results in a mixture of allenic monoacids and unsaturated diacids, whereas allenyl halides transform to allenic acids with high regioselectivity. The carbonylation of gem-dibromocyclopropanes under PTC conditions is catalyzed by Ni" and Co" salts. The reaction gives the corresponding cyclopropanecarboxylic acids in fair yields [146]. 

The stereochemistry of the direct substitution reaction has been the subject of some debate. Most recently, it has been reported that reactions of alkylheterocuprates proceed with high syn selectivity, while inversion of allenyl configuration, or anti selectivity, is observ in reactions of phenylcopper reagents. The degree of selectivity is variable and may be a reflection of product isomerization under the reaction conditions. Predominant anti stereoselectivity (anti syn ratios range from 91 9 to >99 1) is observed also in Sn2 reactions of allenyl halides (see Scheme 3), a finding that is consistent with the known preference for anti substitution of allylic substrates (see Section I.5.2.4.5). This method for al-kyne preparation has found application in the leukotriene area, and also for the synthesis of alkoxy al-kynes. ... 

Carboxylation. Under phase-transfer conditions, propargyl and allenyl halides in the presence of CO and Ni(CN)2 are converted into allenic acids. Further reaction gives rise to 2-alkylidenesuccinic acids. 

K " propargyl and allenyl halides in allenic acids. Further reaction... 

Allenyl and 1- and 2-alkynyl sulfoxides have also been prepared by reaction of organomagnesium halides with sulfinate ester 19. 1-Alkynyl p-tolyl sulfoxides were prepared in good yield from 1-alkynylmagnesium halides plus ester 19 in toluene (equation ll)63. The corresponding organolithium compound was unsatisfactory as a... 

In the Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of acylzirconocene chlorides with allylic halides and/or acetates (Section 5.4.4.4), the isolation of the expected p,y-unsaturated ketone is hampered by the formation of the a, P-un saturated ketone, which arises from isomerization of the p,y-double bond. This undesirable formation of the unsaturated ketone can be avoided by the use of a Cu(I) catalyst instead of a Pd catalyst [35], Most Cu(I) salts, with the exception of CuBr - SMe2, can be used as efficient catalysts Thus the reactions of acylzirconocene chlorides with allyl compounds (Table 5 8 and Scheme 5 30) or propargyl halides (Table 5.9) in the presence of a catalytic amount (10 mol%) of Cu(I) in DMF or THF are completed within 1 h at 0°C to give ffie acyl--allyl or acyl-allenyl coupled products, respectively, in good yields. ill... 

As shown in the previous sections, a (cr-allenyl)palladium species, which is formed from a propargyl electrophile and a Pd(0) catalyst, reacts with a hard carbon nucleophile in a manner analogous to the Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction to give a substituted allene. The results indicate that the reactivity of the (cj-allenyl)palladium species is similar to that of an alkenylpalladium intermediate. Indeed, it was found that the (cr-allenyl)palladium species reacted with olefins to give vinylallenes, a reaction process that is similar to that of the Heck reaction of alkenyl halides [54]. 

The nucleophilic addition of alcohols [130, 204-207], phenols [130], carboxylates [208], ammonia [130, 209], primary and secondary amines [41, 130, 205, 210, 211] and thiols [211-213] was used very early to convert several acceptor-substituted allenes 155 to products of type 158 and 159 (Scheme 7.25, Nu = OR, OAr, 02CR, NH2, NHR, NRR and SR). While the addition of alcohols, phenols and thiols is generally carried out in the presence of an auxiliary base, the reaction of allenyl ketones to give vinyl ethers of type 159 (Nu = OMe) is successful also by irradiation in pure methanol [214], Using widely varying reaction conditions, the addition of hydrogen halides (Nu= Cl, Br, I) to the allenes 155 leads to reaction products of type 158 [130, 215-220], Therefore, this transformation was also classified as a nucleophilic addition. Finally, the nucleophiles hydride (such as lithium aluminum hydride-aluminum trichloride) [211] and azide [221] could also be added to allenic esters to yield products of type 159. 

A tertiary homopropargylic alcohol could also be prepared by treatment of ethyl acetate with two equivalents of B-allenyl-9-BBN. However, the reaction proceeded slowly and was not general for other esters, which proved to be unreactive, as were tertiary amides and alkyl halides. However, homopropargylic amines could be prepared in high yield and with minimal allenic byproduct through allenylboration of imines with B-allenyl-9-BBN (Eq. 9.24). 

Allenyltin halides are not isolable but can be prepared in situ through reaction of a propargylic halide with a mixture of tin and aluminum metal, usually in powdered form. For example, propargyl bromide is converted to diallenyltin dibromide (Eq. 9.71). This intermediate reacts with aldehydes to produce homopropargylic alcohols in high yield. Allenyl adducts are not formed in this reaction [67]. 

A related method of preparation involves the oxidative addition of a tin(II) salt to propargylic iodides, which yield mixtures of allenyl- and propargyltin halides on treatment with SnCl2 in DMF-DMI (l,3-dimethylimidazol-2-one) (Eq. 9.75) [68], These intermediates react in situ with aldehydes to afford mixtures of propargylic and allenic carbinols via a cyclic SE2 process (Eqs. 9.76 and 9.77). As explained in the Introduction, the ratio of these two products reflects the relative transition-state energies of the addition reactions. 

A third route to allenyltin halides involves transmetallation of isolable allenyltri-butyltin compounds, as exemplified by the reaction of allenyltributyltin with Bu2SnCl2 [68]. The resulting mixture of allenyl- and propargyldibutyltin chlorides reacts with various aldehydes to afford mixtures of propargyl- and allenylcarbinols (Eqs. 9.78 and 9.79). The yields of these additions are uniformly high, but the selectivity depends on the nature of the aldehyde substituent. The transmetallation route to allenyltin and -indium halides will be discussed in more detail in a later section. 

---