Copper Compounds Organocopper reagents

In general, copper-zinc compounds, unlike organolithium-derived organocopper reagents, undergo clean addition reactions to nitroolefins. After Michael addition, the resulting zinc nitronates can be oxidatively converted into polyfunctional ketones, such as 117 (Scheme 2.45) [96]. 

The conjugate addition of organocopper reagents to polyalkenic carbonyl compounds presents an opportunity in which either 1,4-, 1,6- and sometimes 1,8-addition can occur. Much of the early woik in this area was conducted in the study of the reaction of a dienoate or dienone with an alkylcuprate or a catalytic copper/organomagnesium combination. The predominant mode of addition for the reaction of a dienoate and a copper-based organomagnesium reagent was found to be 1,6 not 1,4.72 If the opportunity of 1,8-addition was present, then this mode prevailed.73 However, a truly systematic study has not been carried out with the various reagents. 

Because of the toxicity of cadmium compounds two alternative methods for the preparation of ketones from carboxylic acid derivatives are worthy of attention. The first involves the reaction of organocopper reagents [formed from copper(i) iodide and an alkyllithium] with a carboxylic acid chloride.12 7a,b... 

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