Metals dissolving, reduction of alkynes

Semireduction of internal alkynes in the presence of a transition metal catalyst (e.g., Ni2B, Pd/C) provides disubstituted cw-alkenes. On the other hand, dissolving metal reduction of alkynes or reduction of propargylic alcohols with LiAlH4 or with Red-Al [sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)aluminum hydride] furnishes tran -disubstituted alkenes. ... 

Sodium or lithium metal in ammonia causes a dissolving metal reduction of alkynes to give a trans alkene product. This reduction does not work for terminal alkynes, but other metals are available (such as Zn-Cu) to accomplish this transformation. 

Anti additions to alkenes typically result in a stepwise mechanism formation of a cationic cyclic intermediate such as a bromonium ion, followed by backside attack by a nucleophile to open up the ring. Such is the mechanism for the anti addition of Br2. The bromination reaction results in trans bromines since the second bromine (as Br ) has to come in from the opposite face as the first bromine (as Br+) in order to do an Sn2 attack on the bromonium ion. Other mechanisms involving the bromonium ion include reaction of an aikene with Br2/H20 (adds -Br and -OH anti) and Br2/ROH (adds -Br and -OR flnfi)-Treatment of an aikene with a peroxyacid in water forms an epoxide that undergoes a ring opening in situ to give a trans diol product. Trans stereoselectivity is also seen in the dissolving metal reduction of alkynes. 

The mechanism of the Birch reduction is similar to that for dissolving metal reduction of alkynes (p. 452), and starts in the same way, with a transfer of an electron from the metal to one of the empty antibonding orbitals of benzene. The product is a resonance-stabilized radical anion (Fig. 13.67). 

Keeping in mind the mechanism for the dissolving metal reduction of alkynes to trans alkenes in Chapter 12, write a stepwise mechanism for the following reaction, which involves the conversion of an a,p-unsaturated carbonyl compound to a carbonyl compound with a new alkyl group on the a carbon. 

Dissolving-Metal Reduction of Aromatic Compounds and Alkynes. Dissolving-metal systems constitute the most general method for partial reduction of aromatic rings. The reaction is called the Birch reduction,214 and the usual reducing medium is lithium or sodium in liquid ammonia. An alcohol is usually added to serve as a proton source. The reaction occurs by two successive electron transfer/proto-nation steps. 

Na, or Li in liquid ammonia, for example) to reduce aromatic rings and alkynes. The dissolving metal reduction of enones by lithium metal in liquid ammonia is similar to these reactions—the C=C bond of the enone is reduced, with the C=0 bond remaining untouched. An alcohol is required as a proton source and, in total, two electrons and two protons are added in a stepwise manner giving net addition of a molecule of hydrogen to the double bond. 

Dissolving metal reduction of an alkyne with Na, NH3 to form a trans alkene (12.5C)... 

Dissolving Metal Reduction of an Alkyne to a Trans Alkene 435... 

This method is a very interesting counterpoint to the Lindlar reduction discussed in Section 19.3.3. Whereas Lindlar reduction of an alkyne gives a Z-alkene, dissolving metal reduction of an alkyne gives an -alkene. The reduction process can therefore be controlled, and either a Z- or an -alkene can be prepared. Assume that alkenes are not reduced to the alkane under the conditions described using Na or Li in ammonia or ethanolic ammonia. 

Benzene was introduced in Chapter 5 (Section 5.10). Chapter 21 will discuss many benzene derivatives, along with the chemical reactions that are characteristic of these compounds. In the context of dissolving metal reductions of aldehydes, ketones, and alkynes, however, one reaction of benzene must be introduced. When benzene (65) is treated with sodium metal in a mixture of liquid ammonia and ethanol, the product is 1,4-cyclohexadiene 66. Note that the nonconjugated diene is formed. The reaction follows a similar mechanism to that presented for alkynes. Initial electron transfer from sodium metal to benzene leads to radical anion 67. Resonance delocalization as shown shordd favor the resonance contributor 67B due to charge separation. 

The observation was a significant finding since at the time, when the only synthetic method to reduce alkynes selectively was their conversion by heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation (Raney nickel) to cis alkenes. The dissolving-metal reduction provided easy access to high-purity trans alkenes since the latter do not readily react further under the conditions used. The efficient reduction of 1-alkynes in this system requires the presence of ammonium ion.196... 

The electron transfer to the acetylenic bond forms the frans-sodiovinyl radical 20 that, after protonation, produces tram radical 21. At low temperature (—33°C) in the presence of excess sodium, the conversion of the trans radical to sodiovinyl intermediate 22 is slightly more rapid than the conversion of the tram radical to the cis radical 23 (21 —> 22 > 22 —> 23). As a result, protonation yields predominantly the trans alkene. However, low sodium concentration and increased temperature lead to increasing proportion of the cis alkene. Although other dissolving-metal reductions are less thoroughly studied, a similar mechanism is believed to be operative.34 Another synthetically useful method for conversion of alkynes to trans alkenes in excellent yields is the reduction with CrS04 in aqueous dimethylforma-mide.198... 

Reduction of an alkyne to an (E)-alkene can be achieved by treating the alkyne with lithium or sodium metal in ammonia at low temperatures (Following fig.). This is called dissolving metal reduction. 

The partial reduction of alkynes provides methods that are both regio-and stereospecific. Dissolving metal reductions tend to give trans alkenes, whereas catalytic methods of reduction generate the cis alkenes (Scheme 3.3). A Lindlar catalyst (Pd/CaCOj + PbO, partially poisoned with quinoline) has been recommended for use in this context. 

Although catalytic hydrogenation is a convenient method for preparing cis alkenes from alkynes, it cannot be used to prepare trans alkenes. With a dissolving metal reduction (such as Na in NH3), however, the elements of H2 are added in an anti fashion to the triple bond, thus forming a trans alkene. For example, 2-butyne reacts with Na in NH3 to form rram-2-butene. 

For reduction, relevant data from polarographic and cyclic voltammetric experiments are summarized in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. For the results in Table 1 the variety of solvents and reference electrodes used makes comparisons difficult. It is clear, however, that even with the activation of a phenyl substituent (entries 6,7,9-14) reduction occurs at very cathodic potentials. In this context it is worth noting that in aprotic solvents at ca. — 3 V vs. S.C.E.) it becomes difficult to distinguish between direct electron transfer to the alkyne and the production of the cathode of solvated electrons. Under the latter conditions the indirect electroreductions show many of the characteristics of dissolving metal reductions (see Section II.B). Even at extreme cathodic potentials it is not clear that an electron is added to the triple bond the e.s.r. spectra of the radical anions of dimesitylacetylene and (2,4,6,2, 4, 6 -hexa-r-butyldiphenyl)acetylene have been interpreted in terms of equal distribution of the odd electron in the aromatic rings . 

Chemical, as opposed to cathodic, delivery of electrons to the triple bond has been accomplished in various ways. The conventional fl/7//-selective reductions of alkynes by dissolved metals is still important--", but new reagents and solvents have widened the scope of nucleophilic reductions (Table 9). Indeed, an understanding of the mechanistic options has made for greater flexibility different initiation and entry/ departure of participants is now possible. 

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