Dialkylzinc compounds asymmetric dialkylzincs

Nucleophilic addition of metal alkyls to carbonyl compounds in the presence of a chiral catalyst has been one of the most extensively explored reactions in asymmetric synthesis. Various chiral amino alcohols as well as diamines with C2 symmetry have been developed as excellent chiral ligands in the enantiose-lective catalytic alkylation of aldehydes with organozincs. Although dialkylzinc compounds are inert to ordinary carbonyl substrates, certain additives can be used to enhance their reactivity. Particularly noteworthy is the finding by Oguni and Omi103 that a small amount of (S)-leucinol catalyzes the reaction of diethylzinc to form (R)-l-phenyl-1 -propanol in 49% ee. This is a case where the... 

Woodward et al. have used the binaphthol-derived ligand 40 in asymmetric conjugate addition reactions of dialkylzinc to enones [46]. Compound 40 has also been studied as a ligand in allylic substitutions with diorganozinc reagents [47]. To allow better control over selectivity in y substitution of the allylic electrophiles studied, Woodward et al. investigated the influence of an additional ester substituent in the jS-position (Scheme 8.25). 

Chirality plays a central role in the chemical, biological, pharmaceutical and material sciences. Owing to the recent advances in asymmetric catalysis, catalytic enantioselective synthesis has become one of the most efficient methods for the preparation of enantiomer-ically enriched compounds. An increased amount of enantiomerically enriched product can be obtained from an asymmetric reaction using a small amount of an asymmetric catalyst. Studies on the enantioselective addition of dialkylzincs to aldehydes have attracted increasing interest. After the chiral amino alcohols were developed, highly enantioselective and reproducible —C bond forming reactions have become possible. 

Nowadays, this chemistry includes a wide range of applications. The organozinc compounds employed in the enantioselective addition include dialkylzincs, dialkenylzincs, dialkynylzincs, diarylzincs and the related unsymmetrical diorganozincs. Electrophiles have been expanded to aldehydes, ketones and imines. Asymmetric amplification has been observed in the enantioselective addition of organozincs. Recently, asymmetric autocatalysis, i.e. automultiplication of chiral compounds, has been created in organozinc addition to aldehydes. 

Meanwhile, copper salt catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of dialkylzincs has been developed. Alexakis and coworkers reported the catalytic addition of diethylzinc to cyclohexenone using copper salt111. Feringa and coworkers developed a marvelous phosphoramidite (49)112. In the presence of 49 and Cu(OTf)2, diethylzinc adds to cyclohexenone in >98% . Recently, asymmetric addition of diphenylzinc using 49 has been reported113. Nowadays, compounds 50114, 51115, 52116, 53117 and 54118 are known as highly enantioselective catalysts. 

Much attention has been paid to asymmetric amplification where the enantiomeric excess ( ) of the product is higher than that of the chiral catalyst (equation 35)136. The first experiment on asymmetric amplification was reported by Kagan and coworkers in the Katsuki-Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation of allyl alcohols137. Asymmetric amplification has also been studied in the asymmetric addition of dialkylzincs to carbonyl compounds. 

Reagents of this type are suitable for performing catalytic asymmetric additions to aldehydes. For example, an enantiomerically pure Lewis acid is generated in situ from Ti(OiPr)4 and the enantiomerically pure bis(sulfonamide) C. It catalyzes the enantioselective addition of functionalized (or unfunctionalized) dialkylzinc compounds to widely variable aldehydes. There is no detailed, substantiated rationalization of the underlying addition mechanism in this case. 

A different method for the catalytic asymmetric addition of a dialkylzinc compound—Et2Zn and aromatic aldehydes have almost always been used—is shown in Figure 8.31. With regard to stereoselective synthesis, this method has an importance... 

Althou little studied, asymmetric copper-catalyzed substitution reactions of dialkylzinc [236] and Grignard reagents [237] vrith allylic substrates have been achieved vrith ferrocenylamidocopper and arenethiolatocopper catalysts, respec-tivdy. Good enantiosdectivity can be achieved vrith the zinc compounds (87% ee), but the method is limited to stericaUy hindered dialkylzinc reagents v/hile Grignard methodology gives only modest selectivities (18-50% ee). 

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