Azodicarboxylates, base-catalysed

New Diels-Alder adducts of thebaine with aromatic nitroso-compounds of structure (118 R = H, Me, Cl) have been prepared. These are unstable and can be hydrolysed to 14-aryIhydroxylaminocodeinones (119), which can be reduced to derivatives of the hitherto inaccessible 14-aminodihydrocodeinone (120). The base (119 R = H) is susceptible to base-catalysed displacement of the oxide bridge, the product being the 5,14-bridged thebainone derivative (121). ° The reaction between thebaine and excess of ethyl azodicarboxylate involves Diels-Alder addition and addition of the N-CH3 group to a second molecule of azo-ester. The primary product (122) has not been isolated pure, but yields ethyl hydrazodicarboxylate and the substituted codeinone (123) on hydrolysis. ... 

In another context, excellent enantioselective nickel-catalysed a-ami-nations of N-Boc-oxindoles with azodicarboxylates have been achieved by using chiral Schiff base nickel catalysts. BINAP ligands have also encountered success in asymmetric nickel-catalysed electrophilic a-aminations and also in combination with other metals such as palladium. On the other hand, the use of other sources of electrophilic nitrogen, such as nitroso compounds and iodinanes, in reactions catalysed by nickel has so far not been described. 

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