Conjugate Addition of Heteroatom-Centered Nucleophiles

Treatment of P-nitro acetates with thiols in the presence of base is also a simple method for the preparation of P-nitro sulfides (Eq. 4.3).4 

Synthesis of thiopheno[3,4-c]isoxazoline is shown in Eq. 4.4, in which the Michael addition of allyl thiol to 3-nitro enones and subsequent nitrile oxide cyclization are involved.7 

The base-catalyzed joint reaction of nitroalkenes with thiophenol in the presence of aldehydes gives y-phenylthio-P-nitro alcohols in one pot (Eq. 4.5).8 The joint reaction of nitroalkenes with thiols and a,p-unsaturated nitriles (or esters) has also been achieved. (Eq. 4.6).9 P-Nitro sulfides thus prepared show unique reactivity toward nucleophiles or tin radicals. The nitro 

Ono and Kamimura have found a very simple method for the stereo-control of the Michael addition of thiols, selenols, or alcohols. The Michael addition of thiolate anions to nitroalkenes followed by protonation at -78 °C gives anti-(J-nitro sulfides (Eq. 4.8).11 This procedure can be extended to the preparation of a/jti-(3-nitro selenides (Eq. 4.9)12 and a/jti-(3-nitro ethers (Eq. 4.10).13 The addition products of benzyl alcohol are converted into P-amino alcohols with the retention of the configuration, which is a useful method for anri-P-amino alcohols. This is an alternative method of stereoselective nitro-aldol reactions (Section 3.3). The anti selectivity of these reactions is explained on the basis of stereoselective protonation to nitronate anion intermediates. The high stereoselectivity requires heteroatom substituents on the P-position of the nitro group. The computational calculation exhibits that the heteroatom covers one site of the plane of the nitronate anion.14 

The Michael addition of alkoxides to nitroalkenes gives generally a complex mixture of products due to the polymerization of nitroalkenes.16 The effect of cations of alkoxides has been examined carefully, and potassium- or sodium-alkoxides give pure p-nitro-ethers in 78-100% isolated yield (Eqs. 4.12 and 4.13).17 When lithium-alkoxides are employed, the yields are decreased to 20-40%. 

---