Dicarbonyl compounds aldol reactions with

Aldoses generally undergo benzilic acid-type rearrangements to produce saccharinic acids, as well as reverse aldol (retro-aldol) reactions with j3-elimination, to afford a-dicarbonyl compounds. The products of these reactions are in considerable evidence at elevated temperatures. The conversions of ketoses and alduronic acids, however, are also of definite interest and will be emphasized as well. Furthermore, aldoses undergo anomerization and aldose-ketose isomerization (the Lobry de Bruyn-Alberda van Ekenstein transformation ) in aqueous base. However, both of these isomerizations are more appropriately studied at room temperature, and will be considered only in the context of other mechanisms. 

Hydroxycoumarin can be considered as an enol tautomer of a 1,3-dicarbonyl compound conjugation with the aromatic ring favours the enol tautomer. This now exposes its potential as a nucleophile. Whilst we may begin to consider enolate anion chemistry, no strong base is required and we may formulate a mechanism in which the enol acts as the nucleophile, in a simple aldol reaction with formaldehyde. Dehydration follows and produces an unsaturated ketone, which then becomes the electrophile in a Michael reaction (see Section 10.10). The nucleophile is a second molecule of 4-hydroxycoumarin. 

In the Weiss reaction (Scheme 4), an 7-dicarbonyl compound (38) condenses with two molecules of dimethyl 3-oxoglutarate (39 E = CC Me) to give a c w-bicyclo [3.3.0] oct-ane-3,7-dione tetraester (40) the one-pot reaction produces considerable complexity, with the sequential formation of four C—C bonds. Simple acid treatment removes the carbomethoxy groups, if deshed. While die reaction involves aldol and Michael sequences, die intermediacy of a cyclopentenone [4-hydroxycyclopent-2-enone (41)] has up to now been unproven. A series of such 1 1 adducts has now been reported for a variety of diketones, together with evidence diat diey are indeed intermediates en route to the bicyclo system.62 Electronic and steric effects on the reaction are also discussed in detail. 

Aldol reactions with dicarbonyl compounds can be used to make five- and six-membered rings. The enolate formed from one carbonyl group is the nucleophile, and the carbonyl carbon of the other carbonyl group is the electrophile. For example, treatment of 2,5-hexanedione with base forms a five-membered ring. 

The aWol reactions we ve seen up to this point have all been intermSSm.-lar, That is, they have taken place between two different molecules. Wher certain dicarbonyl compounds are treated with base, however, an inframo lecuiar aldol reaction can occur, leading to the formation of a cyclic produc. For example, base treatment of a 1,4-diketone such as 2,5-hexanedioii yields a cyclopentenone product, and base treatment of a 1,6-diketone sue as 2,6-heptanedione yields a cyclohexenone. 

The Knoevenagel reaction, the condensation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with aldehydes to give unsaturated compounds, is catalyzed by 2° amines. A perfectly reasonable mechanism involving deprotonation of the 1,3-dicarbonyl compound by base, aldol reaction with the ketone, and Elcb elimination of H2O can be drawn. However, the Knoevenagel reaction does not proceed nearly so well using 3° amines, suggesting that the amine does not simply act as a base. 

If we want a crossed aldol reaction with a 1,3-dicarbonyl compound, we simply add a second, electrophilic carbonyl compound such as an aldehyde, along with a weak acid or base. Often a mixture of a secondary amine and a carboxylic acid is used. 

A route to pyridines which involves an isolated 1,5-dicarbonyl compound, has been reported. Aldol reaction of enone 57 with methylketone 58 generated 1,5-diketone 59. When this was submitted to the reaction conditions for a Krohnke reaction, thiopyridine 60 was isolated. 

The major developments of catalytic enantioselective cycloaddition reactions of carbonyl compounds with conjugated dienes have been presented. A variety of chiral catalysts is available for the different types of carbonyl compound. For unactivated aldehydes chiral catalysts such as BINOL-aluminum(III), BINOL-tita-nium(IV), acyloxylborane(III), and tridentate Schiff base chromium(III) complexes can catalyze highly diastereo- and enantioselective cycloaddition reactions. The mechanism of these reactions can be a stepwise pathway via a Mukaiyama aldol intermediate or a concerted mechanism. For a-dicarbonyl compounds, which can coordinate to the chiral catalyst in a bidentate fashion, the chiral BOX-copper(II)... 

The aldol reaction can be applied to dicarbonyl compounds in which the two groups are favorably disposed for intramolecular reaction. Kinetic studies on cyclization of 5-oxohexanal, 2,5-hexanedione, and 2,6-heptanedione indicate that formation of five-membered rings is thermodynamically somewhat more favorable than formation of six-membered rings, but that the latter is several thousand times faster.170 A catalytic amount of acid or base is frequently satisfactory for formation of five- and six-membered rings, but with more complex structures, the techniques required for directed aldol condensations are used. 

Finally, aldol reactions can, with suitable dicarbonyl compounds, e.g. (99), be intramolecular, i.e. cyclisations ... 

The cationic iridium complex [Ir(cod)(PPh3)2]OTf, when activated by H2, catalyzes the aldol reaction of aldehydes 141 or acetal with silyl enol ethers 142 to afford 143 (Equation 10.37) [63]. The same Ir complex catalyzes the coupling of a, 5-enones with silyl enol ethers to give 1,5-dicarbonyl compounds [64]. Furthermore, the alkylation of propargylic esters 144 with silyl enol ethers 145 catalyzed by [Ir(cod)[P(OPh)3]2]OTf gives alkylated products 146 in high yields (Equation 10.38) [65]. An iridium-catalyzed enantioselective reductive aldol reaction has also been reported [66]. 

The reactions discussed in this chapter that depend on the formation of enolate anions (i.e., halogenation, aldol addition, and alkylation) often proceed smoothly and under milder conditions with 1,3-diketones than with monoketones. This is because the 1,3-diketones are stronger acids and therefore can form the enolate anions with weaker bases. The principal synthetic methods for preparing 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds will be discussed in Chapter 18. 

The intramolecular aldol reactions reported so far can be divided into two different types. The first is a enantioselective aldol reaction starting from a dicarbonyl compounds of type 81. In these reactions, products with two stereogenic centers, 82, are formed. The reaction is shown in Scheme 6.39, Eq. (1). These products can be converted into derivatives, particularly lactones. 

Attempts to react enol(ate)s of esters with aliphatic aldehydes are doomed as the aldehyde will simply condense with itself. If the ester is replaced by a malonate 60, there is so much enol(ate) from the (5-dicarbonyl compound that the reaction is good. This style of aldol reaction is often called a Knoevenagel reaction10 and needs only a buffered mixture of amine and carboxylic acid. The enol reacts with the aldehyde 61 in the usual way and enolisation of the product 62 usually means that dehydration occurs under the conditions of the reaction. 

When a normal carbonyl compound is treated with catalytic acid or base, we have a small proportion of reactive enol or enolate in the presence of large amounts of unenolized electrophile. Aldol reaction (self-condensation) occurs. With 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds we have a small proportion of not particularly reactive unenolized compound in the presence of large amounts of stable (and hence unreactive) enol. No aldol occurs. 

When you need to synthesize a p-hydroxy ketone or aldehyde or an a,p-unsaturated ketone or aldehyde, use an aldol reaction. When you need to synthesize a p-diketone or p-keto ester, use a Claisen reaction. When you need to synthesize a 1,5-dicarbonyl compound, use a Michael reaction. The Robinson annulation is used to synthesize polycyclic molecules by a combination of a Michael reaction with an aldol condensation. 

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