Carbonyl compounds, a, 3-unsaturate

In the benzoin condensation, one molecule of aldehyde serves as an electrophile. If a carbanion is generated from protected cyanohydrins, a-aminonitriles or dithioacetals, it can react with electrophiles such as alkyl halides, strongly activated aryl halides or alkyl tosylates to form ketones. Amongst other electrophiles which are attacked by the above carbanions are heterocyclic A -oxides, carbonyl compounds, a,p-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, a,3-unsaturated nitriles, acyl halides, Mannich bases, epoxides and chlorotiimethyl derivatives of silicon, germanium and tin. 

Early extensive accounts of the 4v participation of a,/)-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in [4 + 2] cycloadditions detailed their reactions with electron-deficient dienophiles including a,/3-unsaturated nitriles, aldehydes, and ketones simple unactivated olefins including allylic alcohols and electron-rich dienophiles including enol ethers, enamines, vinyl carbamates, and vinyl ureas.23-25 31-33 Subsequent efforts have recognized the preferential participation of simple a,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (a,/3-unsaturated aldehydes > ketones > esters) in inverse electron demand [4 + 2] cycloadditions and have further explored their [4 + 2]-cycloaddition reactions with enol ethers,34-48 acetylenic ethers,48 49 ke-tene acetals,36-50 enamines,4151-60-66 ynamines,61-63 ketene aminals,66 and selected simple olefins64-65 (Scheme 7-1). Additional examples may be found in Table 7-1. 

As with malonate, the two strong electron-withdrawing functional groups of cyanoacetate significantly enhance the acidity of the methylene group. Accordingly, it can be readily deprotonated and the anion reacts with abroad spectrum of electrophiles, such as alkyl and activated aryl halides, carbonyl compounds, a,/3-unsaturated carbonyl or carboxyl derivatives, and nitrous acid. 

Molecules that have a C=C unit and a C=0 unit in a molecule but are not conjugated are common, but they are not the focus of this chapter. The C=C and C=0 units are connected directly in conjugated carbonyl compounds. Such carbonyl compounds are often known as a,P-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (a,P-unsaturated ketones, a,P-unsaturated aldehydes, a,P-unsaturated esters, etc.). Typical examples include 3-buten-2-one (the common name is methyl vinyl ketone, 10) and 2-propenal (the common name is acrolein, 11). In these molecules, the presence of the carbonyl will influence reactions at the C=C... 

The disadvantages associated with the Clemmensen reduction of carbonyl compounds (see 3 above), viz., (a) the production of small amounts of carbinols and unsaturated compounds as by-products, (h) the poor results obtained with many compounds of high molecular weight, (c) the non-appUcability to furan and pyrrole compounds (owing to their sensitivity to acids), and (d) the sensitivity to steric hindrance, are absent in the modified Wolff-Kishner reduction. 

Another widely used route to cyclopropanes involves the addition of sulfoniutn ylides to a,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (S.R. Landor, 1967 R. Sowada, 1971 C.R. Johnson, I973B, 1979 B.M. Trost, 1975 A). Non-activated double bonds are not attacked. Sterical hindrance is of little importance in these reactions because the C—S bond is extraordinarily long... 

Organotelluriumfll and IV) compounds undergo transmetallation with Pd(II)[414], The carbonylation of the alkenylphenyltellurium(II) 459 gives the a,/3-Unsaturated ester 460 and benzoate, 460 being the main product[415], Reductive coupling of diaryl, dialkyl, and aryl alkyltellurides 461 to give 462 proceeds by treatment with Pd(OAc)2[416,417],... 

The allylic geminal diacetate 141 undergoes the monoallylation of malonates to give 142 and the two regioisomers 143 and 144[93,94]. The dimethylacetal 145 or ortho esters of aromatic and a,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds react with trimethylsilyl cyanide to give the methyl ether of cyanohydrin[95]. 

Cycloaddition of COj with the dimethyl-substituted methylenecyclopropane 75 proceeds smoothly above 100 °C under pressure, yielding the five-membered ring lactone 76. The regiocheraistry of this reaction is different from that of above-mentioned diphenyl-substituted methylenecyclopropanes 66 and 67[61], This allylic lactone 76 is another source of trimethylenemethane when it is treated with Pd(0) catalyst coordinated by dppe in refluxing toluene to generate 77, and its reaction with aldehydes or ketones affords the 3-methylenetetrahy-drofuran derivative 78 as expected for this intermediate. Also, the lactone 76 reacts with a, /3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The reaction of coumarin (79) with 76 to give the chroman-2-one derivative 80 is an example[62]. 

P carbon atom of an a 3 unsatu rated carbonyl compound is elec trophilic nucleophiles especially weakly basic ones yield the prod ucts of conjugate addition to a 3 unsaturated aldehydes and ketones... 

Ammonia and amines undergo conjugate addition to a 3 unsaturated carbonyl compounds (Section 18 12) On the basis of this information predict the pnncipal organic product of each of the following reactions... 

Acrolein (H2C=CHCH=0) undergoes conjugate addition with sodium azide in aqueous solution to give N3CH2CH2CH=0 Propanal is not an a 3 unsaturated carbonyl compound and cannot undergo conjugate addition... 

The results of the reductions of some steroidal a,)3-unsaturated ketones have been summarized by Brown. " The carbonyl group is usually reduced to the hydrocarbon, but the behavior of the double bond depends on the structure of the compound undergoing the reduction. Cholest-4-en-3-one gives chol-est-4-ene. Addition of aluminum chloride to a solution of a 4-ene-3,6-dione followed by treatment with LiAIH4 gives the 4-ene-6-one. Steroid 4,6-dien-3-ones yield mixtures of dienes. When the ketone and double bond are in different rings the results become even more complex dienes as well as mono-enes are obtained. 

The diminished tt electron density in the double bond makes a,p-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones less reactive than alkenes toward electrophilic addition. Electrophilic reagents—bromine and peroxy acids, for example—react more slowly with the carbon-carbon double bond of a,(3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds than with simple alkenes. 

Conjugate addition (Sections 10.10 and 18.12) Addition reaction in which the reagent adds to the termini of the conjugated system with migration of the double bond synonymous with 1,4 addition. The most common examples include conjugate addition to 1,3-dienes and to a,(3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. 

More recent work has shown that the 2-unsubstituted compound 40 (R = H, R = Pr ) is an effective formyl anion equivalent which reacts at C2 and undergoes both 1,4-addition to a,(3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds and 1,2-addition to aldehydes (93TL3907 96T4719). 

Interaction of carbonyl compounds with a, (3-unsaturated nitriles as a convenient route to carbo- and heterocycles 98UK442. 

Especially with the ordinary aldol reaction a number of side reactions can be observed, as a result of the high reactivity of starting materials and products. For instance, the a ,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds 4 can undergo further aldol reactions by reacting as vinylogous components. In addition compounds 4 are potential substrates for the Michael reaction. 

Other important applications for organoboranes" include the Michael-like addition reaction to a ,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, and the alkylation of a-halogenated carbonyl compounds. 

The formation of Zj -adducts—e.g. 8 by a consecutive Michael addition reaction, is observed in some cases. This reaction is formulated as a 1,4-addition of a second molecule of the CH-acidic starting material 2 to the initially formed a ,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compound 3 ... 

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