Aluminum enolates synthesis

By using the aluminum porphyrin-Lewis acid system, we attempted the synthesis of a narrow MWD block copolymer from oxetane and methyl methacrylate (MMA). Methacrylic monomers can be polymerized radically and anioni-cally but not cationically, so a block copolymer of oxetane and methyl methacrylate has never been synthesized. As already reported, methacrylic monomers undergo accelerated living anionic polymerization with the (TPP)AlMe (1, X= Me)-3e system via a (porphinato)aluminum enolate as the growing species. 

A facile synthesis of cyclobutylmethanols has been devised by reacting 2-ethoxy-5-alkyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans with aluminum alkyls (Scheme 149) (80TL4525). When (648) is reacted with triisobutylaluminum the cyclobutylmethanol (649) is formed quantitatively. While several mechanisms have been proposed for this process, initial rupture of the carbon-oxygen bond of the pyran ring to form an aluminum enolate, which then undergoes ring closure and reduction, appears to be most likely. 

Scheme 9 outlines the synthesis of a prostanoid intermediate (99) that relies on an intermolecular Nozaki process. It is important to note that unlike the intramolecular case described above, the intermolecular version of this protocol requires an aldehyde as the electrophilic trap however, it is interesting to note that there have been no reports of the addition of Lewis acid activated ketones (presumably, as a preformed complex which would be added via cannula at low temperature) to the preformed aluminum enolate. Finally, in this example, the conversion of enone (96) to adduct (98) is promoted by the less reactive dimethylaluminum phenyl thiolate and not the corresponding ate complex. 

Enolates are undoubtedly the most versatile intermediates for C-C, C-N, C-O bond-forming reactions [36]. Continuous progress has been made not only in fundamental operations involving these anionic species but also during the synthesis of complex natural products. Compared with metal enolates with counter cations of, e.g., B, Si, Li, Na, K, Mg, Ti, Sn, Cu, etc., aluminum enolates have found fewer apphcations, probably because no particular advantages over the other metals have been perceptible. There are, however, still intriguing aspects of novel reactivity and selectivity in the formation and reaction of aluminum enolates. Specifically, very recent development have highhghted pre-formation of Lewis acid-carbonyl complexes by use of bulky aluminum compounds as precursors of aluminum enolates the behavior of these complexes is unprecedented. 

Anionic polymerization of methacrylates involves enolate intermediates of diverse molecular weight. These distinctive enolates are readily formed via a number of consecutive conjugate addition steps. As discussed in Section 6.1, control of reactivity and selectivity of enolates should directly reflect the stereoselective synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate)s (PMMA). Thus it is advisable to compare the nature of aluminum enolates involved in bimolecular and polymolecular reactions. 

Aldol synthesis. A new synthesis of 3-hydroxy ketones and esters involves regiospecific conversion of an a-bromo ketone or ester into an aluminum enolate by a coupled reaction with diethylaluminum chloride and zinc activated with copper(I) bromide in THF at —20°. This enolate adds to carbonyl compounds to give, after work-up, j3-hydroxy ketones (equation I). 

The few crystal structures obtained from aluminum enolates that are less important in synthesis than their boron counterparts reveal dimeric aggregates (Scheme 3.5). This maybe illustrated by the enolates 15 [43a], obtained fromiV,Af-dimethyl methyl glycinate through transmetallation of the lithium enolate, and 16 [43b] that was prepared by direct enolization of 2,4,6-trimethylacetophenone and trimethylaluminum. Both dimers feature an AI2O2 core unit and clearly demonstrate the O-bound character of aluminum enolates. 

Reactivity of Aluminum Enolates and Application in Organic Synthesis. 293... 

To overcome the limitation of the high stability of the aluminum enolates, the oxygen atom has been transformed to silyl enol ethers, enol acetates, and allyl enol carbonates. Silyl enol ethers and enol acetates are precursors to lithium enolates. Enol acetates and allyl enol carbonates are precursors of cx-allylated adducts via the Tsuji-Trost rearrangement [75-77]. The silylation of aluminum enolates using TMSOTf is well established [78], although in some cases the isolation is difficult [33]. Silyl enol ethers allow further modification to be performed as they behave as lithium enolates (Scheme 15). A recent application can be found in the silylation of the conjugate addition adduct (/ )-((3-(but-3-en-l-yl)-3-methylcyclopent-l-en-l-yl)oxy)triethylsilane which allows aldol condensation to form an intermediate in the synthesis of Clavirolide C [79], a diterpene with a trans-bicyclo[9.3.0] tetradecane structure (Scheme 16) [80]. 

Scheme 14 Vinyl oxirane ring-opening using aluminum enolates from asymmetric conjugate addition. Application to the synthesis of [6,7]bicyclic adducts...

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