Copper® alkoxy alkoxides

Tanaka et al. (152) demonstrated that a chiral copper alkoxide could be used substoichiometrically to deliver MeLi to an enone in conjugate fashion. The precatalyst is formed from amino alcohol 221, MeLi and Cul, Eq. 123a. Under stoichiometric conditions, this catalyst mediates the conjugate addition of MeLi to the macrocyclic enone, affording muscone in 91% ee. Lower enantioselectivity is observed using a substoichiometric amount of 222 (0.5 equiv), affording a 79% yield of muscone in 76% ee, Eq. 123b. These selectivities are attained by portion-wise addition of the substrate and MeLi to the alkoxy-cuprate. This catalyst also exhibits a complex nonlinear effect (78, 153). 

Furthermore, the preparation and reactions of 2-methoxythiophene were studied by Sice (70). This compound was obtained by a copper catalysed Williamson synthesis. It was also found that iodothiophene reacted readily with sodium alkoxides, whereas bromothiophene reacted slowly and chlorothiophene did not react at all. Sodium iodide accelerated the reaction of bromothiophene. The ortho, para orienting alkoxy group on carbon atom 2 increased the directive influence of the sulphur atom to the 5 position but competed with it to induce some attack on the 3 position by electrophilic reagents (nitration, acylation). The acylation of 2-methoxythiophene with stannic chloride at low temperatures furnished a mixture of two isomers. The 5-methoxy-2-acetothienone was obtained in higher yield and was identified by its ultraviolet absorption spectrum. 

Arnold and co-workers also reported the deprotonation of alkoxy imi-dazolium iodides with -butyl lithium to yield lithium alkoxide carbenes (Scheme 3).14 Single crystals of one of the complexes were grown from a diethyl ether solution, and revealed a dimer of LiL with lithium iodide incorporated to form a tetramer of lithium cations (7). The lithium-NHC bond distance of 2.131(6) A is similar to that of the lithium amide carbene 4. Also as in 4 there is distortion of the lithium-NCN bond which has an angle of 152.3°. The C2 carbon resonates at 200 ppm in the 13C NMR spectrum which is a relatively high-frequency, possibly as a result of the incorporated lithium iodide. The lithium salts were able to act as ligand transfer reagents and react with copper (II) chloride or triflate to afford mono- or bis-substituted copper(II) alkoxy carbene complexes. 

---