Allyllithium- -sparteine complexes

As far as investigated77, most reactions of the allyllithium-sparteine complexes with electrophiles proceed antarafacially, either as SE2 or anti-SE2 reactions. As a working hypothesis it is assumed that the bulky ligand obliterates the Lewis acid properties of the lithium cation. 

The lithium-titanium exchange in the allyllithium-sparteine complexes 317 by tetraisopropoxytitanium (TIPT) or chloro-triisopropoxytitanium, resulting in titanates 318, proceeds with strict stereoinversion (equation 84). We assume that—contrary to the lithium-TMEDA complexes—the lithium-(—)-sparteine complexes are weaker Lewis acids and are no longer capable of binding the TIPT in the transition state of the exchange reaction. 

The asymmetric lithiation/substitution of Af-Boc-Af-(3-chloropropyl)-2-alkenylamines 395 by w-BuLi/(—)-sparteine (11) provides (5 )-Af-Boc-2-(alken-l-yl)pyrrolidines 397 via the allyllithium-sparteine complexes 396 (equation 106) . Similarly, the piperidine corresponding to 397 was obtained from the Af-(4-chlorobutyl)amine. Intramolecular epoxide openings gave rise to enantioenriched pyrrolidinols. Beak and coworkers conclude from further experiments that an asymmetric deprotonation takes place, but it is followed by a rapid epimerization a kinetic resolution in favour of the observed stereoisomer concludes the cyclization step. 

W-Substituted 2,4-alkadien-l-ols such as 474 add the alkyllithium/(—)-sparteine complex preferentially to the 2-position to form via the alkoxide the corresponding allyllithium intermediates 475 . Protic workup leads to a mixture of ii/Z-alkenols 476 and 477 on catalytic hydrogenation the -branched alcohols 478 are isolated (equation 130). 

The formation of diastereoisomerically pure complexes of 90 with (-)-sparteine is also controlled by crystallisation. Treatment of the indene 89 with BuLi and (-)-sparteine in ether gives, on warming, a yellow precipitate which reacts with carbonyl electrophiles to provide the products 91 typically with good regioselectivity and >95% ee.52 An X-ray crystal structure proved the stereochemistry of the intermediate complex to be that shown as 90b, and hence proved the stereochemical course of the substitution (see section 6.1). The complex is readily decomposed by THF, in the presence of which it rearranges to a racemic V allyllithium. 

---