Butyllithium compounds

Strohmann C, Seibel T, Strohfeldt K (2003) Mraiomeric butyllithium compound [t-BuLi (—)-sparteine] molecular structure of the first monomeric butyllithium compound. 

Alkyllithium bases are generally less suitable for deprotofiation of compounds with strongly electron-withdrawing groups such as C=0, COOR and CsN. In these cases lithium dialkylamides, especially those with bulky groups (isopropyl, cyclohexyl), are the reagents of choice. They are very easily obtained from butyllithium and the dialkylamine in the desired solvent. 

A solution of 0.22 mol of butyllithium in 150 ml of hexane was cooled below -40°C and 140 ml of dry THF were added. Subsequently 0.20 mol of 1-dimethyl amino--4-methoxy-2-butyne (see Chapter V, Exp. 14) were added in 10 min with cooling between -35 and -45°C. After an additional 15 min 100 ml of an aqueous solution of 25 g of ammonium chloride were added with vigorous stirring. After separation of the layers four extractions with diethyl ether were carried out. The solutions were dried over potassium carbonate and then concentrated in a water-pump vacuum. Distillation of the residue gave a mixture of 8-10% of starting compound and 90-92% of the allenic ether, b.p. 50°C/12 mmHg, n 1.4648, in 82% yield (note 1). 

Competitive metallation experiments with IV-methylpyrrole and thiophene and with IV-methylindole and benzo[6]thiophene indicate that the sulfur-containing heterocycles react more rapidly with H-butyllithium in ether. The comparative reactivity of thiophene and furan with butyllithium depends on the metallation conditions. In hexane, furan reacts more rapidly than thiophene but in ether, in the presence of tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), the order of reactivity is reversed (77JCS(P1)887). Competitive metallation experiments have established that dibenzofuran is more easily lithiated than dibenzothiophene, which in turn is more easily lithiated than A-ethylcarbazole. These compounds lose the proton bound to carbon 4 in dibenzofuran and dibenzothiophene and the equivalent proton (bound to carbon 1) in the carbazole (64JOM(2)304). 

Neutral azoles are readily C-lithiated by K-butyllithium provided they do not contain a free NH group (Table 6). Derivatives with two heteroatoms in the 1,3-orientation undergo lithiation preferentially at the 2-position other compounds are lithiated at the 5-position. Attempted metallation of isoxazoles usually causes ring opening via proton loss at the 3-or 5-position (Section 4.02.2.1.7.5) however, if both of these positions are substituted, normal lithiation occurs at the 4-position (Scheme 21). 

The isoxazoles (585) were formed regioselectively from the (dioxoalkyl)phosphonium salts (584) with hydroxylamine hydrochloride, the direction of cyclization being different from that of the nonphosphorus-containing 1,3-dioxo compound (see Chapter 4.16). Aqueous sodium hydroxide converted (585) into the isoxazole (586) and triphenylphosphine oxide. Treatment of (585) with n-butyllithium and an aldehyde gave the alkene (587). With hydrazine or phenylhydrazine analogous pyrazoles were formed (80CB2852). 

Most isothiazoles are lithiated at the 5-position by the action of butyllithium or other organolithium compounds, provided that this position is vacant (65AHC(4)107, 72AHC(14)l, 77SST(4)339). 3-Methyl-4-nitroisothiazole, however, is inert (65AHC(4)107). 2,1-... 

A variable pressure oil pump was used in this distillation. Approximately 10 g of a volatile component, consisting mostly of hexamethyl-disiloxane, was obtained at room temperature (15 (in) before the forerun. The forerun contained the desired product and mineral oil from the n-butyllithium solution. The pot residue was about 5 g. The submitters find the disilyl compound thus obtained is contaminated with a trace amount of mineral oil and 4-6% of a vinylsilane, probably 2-methyl-l-trimethylsiloxy-3-trimethylsilyl-2-propene. This impurity becomes quite significant if the reaction medium is less polar than the one described (e.g., too much hexane from n-butyllithium is allowed to remain behind). The spectral properties of the desired product... 

Kyba and eoworkers prepared the similar, but not identical compound, 26, using quite a different approach. In this synthesis, pentaphenylcyclopentaphosphine (22) is converted into benzotriphosphole (23) by reduction with potassium metal in THF, followed by treatment with o "t/20-dichlorobenzene. Lithium aluminum hydride reduction of 23 affords l,2-i>/s(phenylphosphino)benzene, 24. The secondary phosphine may be deprotonated with n-butyllithium and alkylated with 3-chlorobromopropane. The twoarmed bis-phosphine (25) which results may be treated with the dianion of 24 at high dilution to yield macrocycle 26. The overall yield of 26 is about 4%. The synthetic approach is illustrated in Eq. (6.16), below. 

Oxidation of /U-cresol afforded a triphenol 22 which is approximately half the molecule. The central hydroxyl of the triphenol could be selectively methylated and then the compound was ort/ro-brominated and bridged using 1,3-dibromopropane to give 23. Metallation with butyllithium followed by iron catalyzed coupling afforded the macrocycle as indicated. 

The presence of a tnalkylsUyl group in a fluonnated organic compound may be useful to direct further transformations of that matenal Yet m some instances it IS the fluonnated substituent that controls the reactions of the tnalkylsdyl group Contrary to predictions, treatment of tert-hnlyX 3-tnfluoromethyl-6-tnmethylsilyl-phenyl carbamate with rert-butyllithium results m metallation of one of the methyl groups attached to silicon rather than that of the aromatic nng [90] (equation 75)... 

Benzylic carbon-hydrogen bonds in compounds such as methylpentafluoro-benzene, fluoromethylpentafluorobenzene, and difluoromethylpentafluoroben-zene are not capable of metalation by butyllithium Instead nucleophilic substitution of the para fluorines occurs m each example [55] (equation 13)... 

If an excess of butyllithium (2 5 1 molar ratio) is used during metalation, a mixture of butylated naphthyllithium compounds is formed Reactions of this mixture with electrophiles give a mixture ot 6 and 7-butyl-substituted hexa-fluoronaphthalene derivatives in respective ratios of 4 1 [38] (equation 16)... 

To avoid this competing reaction, the metal-halogen exchange is performed in diethyl ether with either secondary or tertiary butyllithium at -60 °C to give the trifluorovinyllithium compound in near quantitative yield [59],... 

Meyers has demonstrated that chiral oxazolines derived from valine or rert-leucine are also effective auxiliaries for asymmetric additions to naphthalene. These chiral oxazolines (39 and 40) are more readily available than the methoxymethyl substituted compounds (3) described above but provide comparable yields and stereoselectivities in the tandem alkylation reactions. For example, addition of -butyllithium to naphthyl oxazoline 39 followed by treatment of the resulting anion with iodomethane afforded 41 in 99% yield as a 99 1 mixture of diastereomers. The identical transformation of valine derived substrate 40 led to a 97% yield of 42 with 94% de. As described above, sequential treatment of the oxazoline products 41 and 42 with MeOTf, NaBKi and aqueous oxalic acid afforded aldehydes 43 in > 98% ee and 90% ee, respectively. These experiments demonstrate that a chelating (methoxymethyl) group is not necessary for reactions to proceed with high asymmetric induction. 

The a-selectivity is illustrated by the fact that 2-alkyl-, > 2-methoxy-, > and 2-alkyIthio-thiophenes and alkyl thenyl sul-fides ° are metalated exclusively in the 5-position. In electrophilic aromatic substitution, as previously mentioned, an appreciable amount of 3-substitution is obtained with some of these groups. After acetalization ketones can also be metalated. Thus from the diethyl ketal of 2-acetylthiophene, 2-acetyl-5-thiophenealdehyde was obtained after metalation with n-butyllithium followed by the reaction of the metalorganic compound with A,A -dimethylformamide. ... 

Thiophenedithiol (170) has been prepared by halogen-metal interconversion between the lithium salt of 4-bromo-3-thiophenethiol and n-butyllithium at —70°C, followed by reaction with sulfur/ IR, NMR, and UV spectra showed that this compound exists in the dithiol form (170). The compound obtained as a by-product in the... 

Halogeno compounds have been prepared by direct halogena-tion or by Sandmeyer reaction on 4-aminoisothiazoles. As expected from general considerations, a halogen atom in the 4-position is less reactive than one in the 5-position, but nitriles are obtained in good yield with cuprous cyanide at elevated temperatures. With butyllithium, lithiation occurs exclusively in the 5-position, and no evidence of halogen displacement has been obtained. ... 

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