Copper Cyanocuprates

A further improvement in the cuprate-based methodology for producing PGs utilizes a one-pot procedure (203). The CO-chain precursor (67) was first functionalized with zirconocene chloride hydride ia THF. The vinyl zirconium iatermediate was transmetalated direcdy by treatment with two equivalents of / -butyUithium or methyUithium at —30 to —70° C. Sequential addition of copper cyanide and methyUithium eUcited the /V situ generation of the higher order cyanocuprate which was then reacted with the protected enone to give the PG. 

Cupro-. cuprous, copper(I), cupro-. -chlorid, n. cuprous chloride, copper(I) chloride, -cy-aniir, n. cuprous cyanide, copper(I) cyanide cuprocyanide, cyanocuprate(I). -jodid, n. cuprous iodide, copper(I) iodide, -mangan, n. cupromanganese. -oxyd, n. cuprous oxide, copper(I) oxide, -salz, n. cuprous salt, cop-per(I) salt, -suifocyantir, n. cuprous thiocyanate, copper (I) thiocyanate, -verbin-dUDg, /. cuprous compound, copper(I) compound. 

The shift of the half-wave potentials of metal ions by complexation is of value in polarographic analysis to eliminate the interfering effect of one metal upon another, and to promote sufficient separation of the waves of metals in mixtures to make possible their simultaneous determination. Thus, in the analysis of copper-base alloys for nickel, lead, etc., the reduction wave of copper(II) ions in most supporting electrolytes precedes that of the other metals and swamps those of the other metals present by using a cyanide supporting electrolyte, the copper is converted into the difficultly reducible cyanocuprate(I) ion and, in such a medium, nickel, lead, etc., can be determined. 

An important type of mixed cuprate is prepared from a 2 1 ratio of an alkyllithium and CuCN.11 Called higher-order cyanocuprates, their composition is R2CuCNLi2 in THF solution, but it is thought that most of the molecules are probably present as dimers. The cyanide does not seem to be bound directly to the copper, but rather to the lithium cations.12 The dimers most likely adopt an eight-membered ring motif.13... 

Another type of mixed cyanocuprate has both methyl and alkenyl groups attached to copper. Interestingly, these reagents selectively transfer the alkenyl group in conjugate addition reactions.16 These reagents can be prepared from alkynes via hydrozirconation, followed by metal-metal exchange.17... 

Additional routes to a-allenic-a-amino acids were described more recently and utilize radical [136] or transition metal-catalyzed [137] allenylations, in addition to copper-promoted Michael additions [15b]. Thus, sterically demanding amino acid derivatives (e.g. 151) are accessible via a 1,6-addition reaction of lithium di-tert-butyl-cyanocuprate with acceptor-substituted enynes of type 150 (Scheme 18.48). 

A large variety of cuprates are known nowadays. They include heteroleptic derivatives R(Y)CuM (Y = alkynyl, halide, amido, alkoxide, thiolato, phosphide M = Li or Mg), and have found widespread application in organic chemistry. Their syntheses and applications are discussed in the other chapters of this book. In addition, compounds in which the copper to lithium (or magnesium) ratio differs from 1 1 are also known examples are R3CuLi2 and the so-called higher order cyanocuprates introduced by Lipshutz et al. [99]. 

NMR investigations [129, 132, 133], EXAFS and XANES studies [134-136], and theoretical calculations [127, 137, 138] performed on higher-order cyanocuprates strongly suggested that the cyanide anion was not bound to copper in these R2Cu(CN)Li2 species. Additional evidence was provided by the first X-ray crystal structure determinations of higher-order cyanocuprates ](C(5H4CH2NMe2-2)2 Cu(CN)Li2] [139] (Fig. 1.34) and [(tBu)2Cu(CN)Li2] [130] (Fig. 1.35). 

Still another type of reaction involving copper occurs with (l-methyl-2-indolyl)cyanocuprate, which can give either 2- or 3-substituted products depending upon the nature of the electrophile, with the latter derivatives... 

The commercial availability of copper(I) cyanide has also provided an attractive alternative to the in situ preparation of copper alkynides, as cyanide functions very well as a non transferable ligand (equation 21 ).48 Unfortunately, the cyanocuprates (14) suffer from a diminished reactivity, similar to alkynylcu-prates, and have not been widely used.3 Other useful residual ligands are SPh,49 Bu S,49 and BuKD.49... 

Cyano compounds liquid crystals, 12, 278 in silver(III) complexes, 2, 241 Cyanocuprates, with copper, 2, 186 Cyano derivatives, a-arylation, 1, 361 Cyanosilanes, applications, 9, 322 Cyclic acetals, and Grignard reagent reactivity, 9, 53 Cyclic alkenes, asymmetric hydrosilylation, 10, 830 Cyclic alkynes, strained, with platinum, 8, 644 Cyclic allyl boronates, preparation, 9, 196 Cyclic allylic esters, alkylation, 11, 91 Cyclic amides, ring-opening polymerization, via lanthanide catalysis, 4, 145... 

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