Allylic substitution mechanism

Step 1 Free-radical allylic substitution (Mechanism 15-2) R—H + Br2 R—Br + HBr... 

This mechanism is exactly analogous to the allylic rearrangement mechanism for nucleophilic substitution (p. 421). The UV spectra of allylbenzene and 1-propenylbenzene in solutions containing NH2 are identical, which shows that the same carbanion is present in both cases, as required by this mechanism. The acid BH protonates the position that will give the more stable product, though the ratio of the two possible products can vary with the identity of BH". It has been shown that base-catalyzed double-bond shifts are partially intramolecular, at least in some cases. The intramolecularity has been ascribed to a conducted tour mechanism (p. 766) in which the base leads the proton from one carbanionic site to the other ... 

Helquist et al. [129] have reported molecular mechanics calculations to predict the suitability of a number of chiral-substituted phenanthrolines and their corresponding palladium-complexes for use in asymmetric nucleophilic substitutions of allylic acetates. Good correlation was obtained with experimental results, the highest levels of asymmetric induction being predicted and obtained with a readily available 2-(2-bornyl)-phenanthroline ligand (90 in Scheme 50). Kocovsky et al. [130] prepared a series of chiral bipyridines, also derived from monoterpene (namely pinocarvone or myrtenal). They synthesized and characterized corresponding Mo complexes, which were found to be moderately enantioselective in allylic substitution (up to 22%). 

Scheme 18 a- vs. tc-allyl mechanism in Fe-catalyzed allylic substitutions... 

Scheme 22 Fe-catalyzed allylic substitution via tc-allyl mechanism [67, 68]...

Scheme 1.1 Mechanism for Pd-catalysed allylic substitution with soft nucleophiles.

Scheme 8.3. Proposed mechanisms of allylic substitution reactions.

General Mechanism of Metal-Catalyzed Allylic Substitution. 195... 

Scheme 21 General mechanism for metal-catalyzed allylic substitution...

Scheme 22. The rate equation for this mechanism is described in (1). The authors determined that the reaction is first-order in allylic carbonate, aniline and catalyst, and inverse first-order in allylamine product. These results are consistent with the proposed mechanism. Thus, iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution is inhibited by product. In addition, the formation of the allyliridium intermediate is disfavored.

The radical addition of halogen to an alkene has been referred to briefly in Section 9.3.2. We saw an example of bromination of the double bond in cyclohexene as an unwanted side-reaction in some allylic substitution reactions. The mechanism is quite straightforward, and follows a sequence we should now be able to predict. 

The 1,3-diene moiety in 227 which included the carbon atoms and CVC was oxidized to the l,4-dihydroxy-2-ene moiety in 238 that was further exploited to functionalise the A-ring as well as for the annulation of the C-ring (Scheme 37). The transformation of 227 into 238 was realized by a diastereoselective epoxidation of 227 to afford a vinyl epoxide (241) that was subjected to the conditions for a Palladium(O)-catalysed allylic substitution with the acetate ion [126]. The mechanism and the stereochemical course of the allylic substitution may be explained as depicted in Scheme 37. Sn2 ring opening of the protonated vinyl epoxide 241 by an anionic Pd complex proceeded with a (3Si) topicity to the r-allyl Pd com-... 

Allylic halides usually give both SN2 products and products of substitution with an allylic shift (SN2 products) although the mixed organocopper reagent RCu— BF3 is reported to give mainly the SN2 product.22 Allylic acetates undergo displacement with an allylic shift (SN2 mechanism).23 The allylic substitution process may involve initial... 

A plausible mechanism is shown in Fig. 35. It seems to involve addition of the allyl group at the less hindered carbonyl group followed by a [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement, resulting in the formation of allyl-substituted hydroquinones or their oxidation products. 

Allylic substitution using hard nucleophiles proceeds through a different mechanism. Instead of attacking the allyl group of the 71 allyl-metal complex, hard nucleophiles attack the metal first and the product is subsequently formed by reductive elimination. Nickel(O) complexes have often been used for this purpose. Reports of good enantioselectivities in this type of reaction are limited. 

The radical mechanism has also been proposed as a general mechanism for oxidation of alkenes and aromatics, but several objections have been raised because of the absence of products typically associated with radical reactions. In classical radical reactions, alkenes should react also at the allylic position and give rise to allyl-substituted products, not exclusively epoxides methyl-substituted aromatics should react at the benzylic position. The products expected from such reactions are absent. Another argument was made against the radical mechanism based on the stereoselectivity of epoxidation. Radical intermediates are free to rotate around the C C bond, with the consequence that both cis- and /rani-epoxides are formed from a single alkene isomer, contrary to the evidence obtained with titanium silicates (Clerici et al., 1993). 

One of the most useful features of the recommended notation is that the unmodified term SE2 may be used to describe an electrophilic substitution in which the kinetic form is second-order (first-order in substrate, first-order in electrophile) even though it may not be apparent which of the various possible SE2 mechanisms is in force. The nomenclature of catalysed substitutions, and of allylic substitutions follows quite simply. 

Scheme 7.9 Possible mechanisms in allylic substitution catalyzed by Lewis acidic Fe salts.

Scheme 7.15] or S -type mechanism [Equation (7.9)]. Depending on the nature of the nucleophile and catalyst employed, the subsequent nucleophilic substitution of the metal can follow either via a-elimination [path A, Equations (7.8) and (7.9), Scheme 7.15], via an SN2 reaction (path B) or via an SN2 -type reaction (path C). For reasons of clarity, only strictly concerted and stereospecific SN2- or SN2 -anti-type mechanistic scenarios are shown in Scheme 7.15. The situation might, however, be complicated if, e.g., the initial S l -anti ionization event is competing with an Sn2 -syn reaction. Erosion in stereo- and regioselectivity can be the result of these competing reactions. Furthermore, fluxional intermediates such as 7t-allyl Fe complexes are not shown in Scheme 7.15 for reasons of clarity. These intermediates are known for a variety of late transition metal allyl complexes and will be referred to later. Moreover, apart from these ionic mechanisms, radicals might also be involved in the reaction. So far no distinct mechanistic study on allylic substitutions has been published.

A mechanism has been proposed for the syn-S allylic substitution of a-cyanoacetals with alkyllithium reagents.14 The matched (9) and mismatched (11) substrates gave different products [98% (10) and 85% (12), respectively] when treated with lithium (g) di-f-butyl biphenylide (LiDBB) in THF at -78 °C as shown in Schemes 6 and 7. The spiroether effect is the controlling factor in determining the products. 

The regioselective and enantiospecific allylic substitution of alkyl-substituted allyl benzoates and carbamates with (Me2PhSi)2Zn and Cul has been shown to occur by an oxidative addition - reduction elimination mechanism rather than an SN2 mechanism.16... 

Allylic electrophiles react readily with Pd(0) complexes to yield rf-allyl Pd(II) complexes, which retain electrophilic character and react with nucleophiles to yield the product of allylic substitution and Pd(0). Thus, catalytic amounts of Pd(0) provide an additional mechanism (in addition to SnI, Sn2, and Sn2 ) by which an allylic substitution can proceed. Because the metal generally attacks the allylic electrophile... 

Abnormal olefin arylation reactions which are of interest mechanistically and preparatively occur with some allylically substituted compounds. The ailylic esters and ethers appear normal and produce cinnamyl derivatives exclusively while ailylic alcohols and chlorides are abnormal. Ailylic alcohols and "arylpalladium acetates form 3-arylaldehydes from primary ailylic alcohols and 3-arylketones from secondary alcohols 3°). The mechanism of reaction apparently involves anti-Markovnikov addition of the palladium compound to the double bond followed by elimination of the hydrogen atom on the hydroxyl-bearing carbon rather than the benzylic hydrogen. This again would be elimination of the more electronegative hydrogen atom. 

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