Conjugate addition reactions with organocopper reagents

Lithium 2-Thienylcyanocuprate-Based Copper 223 Table 5.6 1,4-Conjugate addition reactions with thienyl-based organocopper reagents. 

Enantioselective Reactions of Organocopper Reagents. Several methods have been developed for achieving enantioselectivity with organocopper reagents. Chiral auxiliaries can be used for example, oxazolidinone auxiliaries have been utilized in conjugate additions. The outcome of these reactions can be predicted on the basis of steric control of reactant approach, as for other applications of the oxazolidinone auxiliaries. 

Addition to ot, -acetylenic esters and ketones (3, 108 6, 163-164). The addition of organocopper reagents to conjugated acetylenic carbonyl compounds is usually not stereospeciflc, although cis-addition predominates. Japanese chemists have found that the stereoselectivity in the reaction with alkylcopper reagents is markedly enhanced by use of the complex RCu BRj. Thus the reaction of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate with n-butylcopper complexed with tri-n-butylboron (or triethylboron) results in exclusive formation of the cis-adduct. In the absence of a trialkylborane the cis- and adducts are formed in the-ratio 85 15. 

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