Aryl halides soft electrophiles

The [i-aUyl complexes can react with several types of nucleophiles, giving rise to the corresponding substitution products. O- and N-nucleophiles as well as soft carbon nucleophiles attack the t-allyl complex directly at the aUylic position, while hard C-nucleophiles react via transmetaUations [2c, 3]. If the nucleophihc attack occurs under an atmosphere of CO, insertion of CO can occur, yielding carbonyl compounds [4]. Alkenes and aUcynes can also insert into allyhnetal bonds, a protocol that is used preferentially for cycUzations [5]. Cyclizations can also occur, if the 7t-allylmetal complex contains an internal nucleophilic center. If the metalallyl complex acts as a nucleophile, direct coupling with aryl halides [6] or additions to electrophiles such as aldehydes, ketones, or imines are possible [7]. This review focuses on C-C coupling reactions via these tt-allyhnetal (or in some cases, a-allyhnetal) intermediates. 

For the C-C bond-forming step coordination of an electrophilic aryl palladium halide to a cyclopentadienyl anion is assumed, followed by reductive elimination. Presumably the Pd catalyst is not involved in the C-H bond-breaking step, which is interpreted as an apparently simple deprotonation with cesium carbonate as base. The overall process is similar to the arylation of other soft nucleophiles [9]. 

General Characteristics. In accordance with the high tendency for formation of Co(CO)4 (2 ) and the acidity of (3), the former componnd behaves in many respects as a psendohalide see Pseudohalide). Relative rates of electrophilic snbstitntion with Mel and MeOTs classify (2 ) as a hard and relatively weak nncleophile see Hard Soft Acids and Bases). Compounds of the type RCo(CO)4 are prepared by two different methods reaction of an electrophihc halide, snlfate, or tosylate (RX) with (2 ), or reaction of HCo(CO)4 with alkenes. Simple alkyl derivatives have low stability nevertheless, many studies have been conducted in which species have been identified as RCo(CO)4 intermediates. Apart from alkyl and aryl derivatives, for example MeCo(CO)4 and PhCo(CO)4, (2 ) forms derivatives with main group residues R3E and R2E and with the main group metals Zn, Cd, and Hg as well as with transition metals, as shown by examples in Scheme 4. Co E bonding in these compounds appears to be predominantly covalent. The bond distances can be long, and consequently, the coordination number of Co can be high. 

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