Copper compounds zero-valent

With this end in view, phenyldimcthylsilyl tri-n-butylstannane was added under the influence of zero-valent palladium compound with high regioselectivity and in excellent yield to the acetylene 386 to give the metallated olefin 387 (Scheme 56). The vinyl lithium carbanion 388 generated therefrom, was then converted by reaction with cerium(lll) chloride into an equilibrium mixture (1 1) of the cerium salts 389 and 390 respectively. However, the 1,2-addition of 389 to the caibonyl of 391, which in principle would have eventually led to ( )-pretazettine, did not occur due to steric reasons — instead, only deprotonation of 391 was observed. On the other hand, 390 did function as a suitable nucleophile to provide the olefinic product 392. Exposure of 392 to copper(II) triflate induced its transformation via the nine membered enol (Scheme 55) to the requisite C-silyl hydroindole 393. On treatment with tetrafluoroboric acid diethyl ether complex in dichloromethane, compound 393 suffered... 

Recently, Sarangi et al. (1995) discovered that the Barbier-type allylation of carbonyl compounds could be mediated by zero-valent copper. In the experimental procedure copper(ll) chloride in its hydrated form was mixed with magnesium powder. This reaction did not proceed with anhydrous CuCU, but addition of water to this anhydrous salt in the presence of magnesium allowed the allylation of aldehydes and ketones with allylic bromides. In the absence of halides, the hydrated reagent (CuCl2 2H20/Mg) turned out to be efficient in the reduction of aldehydes. However, the water of crystallization could not suffice and addition of water promoted the reduction process (Sarangi eta/., 1995). 

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