Stereochemistry eliminations

The mechanism of this preparatively valuable switch of the elimination stereochemistry is not understood completely. The most plausible explanation is to assume a quasi five-membered and thus vj /i-con figured transition state as shown in Figure 4.27. Only this transition state ensures that in nonpolar pentane the elimination by-product triethylammonium hydrobromide is obtained as a contact ion pair instead of solvent-separated ions. In the latter case there would be virtually no solvation and they would be almost as unstable as vacuum-separated cation/anion pairs (cf. the discussion in Table 2.1.). 

An interesting demonstration of the importance of base association upon elimination stereochemistry is the -elimination (37)... 

Na salt necessary to overcome competing / -hydride elimination. Stereochemistry determined by H NM R. 

The stereochemistry of reactions can also be treated by permutation group theory for reactions that involve the transformation of an sp carbon atom center into an sp carbon atom center, as in additions to C=C bonds, in elimination reactions, or in eIcctrocycHc reactions such as the one shown in Figure 3-21. Details have been published 3l]. 

The stereochemistry of the Pd-catalyzed allylation of nucleophiles has been studied extensively[5,l8-20]. In the first step, 7r-allylpalladium complex formation by the attack of Pd(0) on an allylic part proceeds by inversion (anti attack). Then subsequent reaction of soft carbon nucleophiles, N- and 0-nucleophiles proceeds by inversion to give 1. Thus overall retention is observed. On the other hand, the reaction of hard carbon nucleophiles of organometallic compounds proceeds via transmetallation, which affords 2 by retention, and reductive elimination affords the final product 3. Thus the overall inversion is observed in this case[21,22]. 

Based on the above-mentioned stereochemistry of the allylation reactions, nucleophiles have been classified into Nu (overall retention group) and Nu (overall inversion group) by the following experiments with the cyclic exo- and ent/n-acetales 12 and 13[25], No Pd-catalyzed reaction takes place with the exo-allylic acetate 12, because attack of Pd(0) from the rear side to form Tr-allyl-palladium is sterically difficult. On the other hand, smooth 7r-allylpalladium complex formation should take place with the endo-sWyWc acetate 13. The Nu -type nucleophiles must attack the 7r-allylic ligand from the endo side 14, namely tram to the exo-oriented Pd, but this is difficult. On the other hand, the attack of the Nu -type nucleophiles is directed to the Pd. and subsequent reductive elimination affords the exo products 15. Thus the allylation reaction of 13 takes place with the Nu nucleophiles (PhZnCl, formate, indenide anion) and no reaction with Nu nucleophiles (malonate. secondary amines, LiP(S)Ph2, cyclopentadienide anion). 

The reaction of the allylic acetate with a diene system 784 affords the poly-fused ring system 785 by three repeated alkene insertions[487]. An even more strained molecule of the [5.5.5.5] fenestrane 788 has been constructed by a one-pot reaction in a satisfactory yield by the Pd-catalyzed carbonylation-cycliza-tion of 786 without undergoing elimination of /3-hydrogen in the cr-alkylpalla-dium intermediate 787 owing to unfavorable stereochemistry for syn elimination[488]. 

The stereochemistry of the most fundamental reaction types such as addition, substitution, and elimination are described by terms which specify the stereochemical relationship between the reactants and products. Addition and elimination reactions are classified as syn or anti, depending on whether the covalent bonds which are made or broken are on the same face or opposite faces of the plane of the double bond. 

Nucleophilic substitution in cyclohexyl systems is quite slow and is often accompanied by extensive elimination. The stereochemistry of substitution has been determined with the use of a deuterium-labeled substrate (entry 6). In the example shown, the substitution process occurs with complete inversion of configuration. By NMR amdysis, it can be determined that there is about 15% of rearrangement by hydride shift accon any-ing solvolysis in acetic acid. This increases to 35% in formic acid and 75% in trifiuoroacetic acid. The extent of rearrangement increases with decreasing solvent... 

Table 6.8. Stereochemistry of E2 Eliminations for Some Acyclic Substrates...

The first three chapters discuss fundamental bonding theory, stereochemistry, and conformation, respectively. Chapter 4 discusses the means of study and description of reaction mechanisms. Chapter 9 focuses on aromaticity and aromatic stabilization and can be used at an earlier stage of a course if an instructor desires to do so. The other chapters discuss specific mechanistic types, including nucleophilic substitution, polar additions and eliminations, carbon acids and enolates, carbonyl chemistry, aromatic substitution, concerted reactions, free-radical reactions, and photochemistry. 

Although the nature of the general polar effect suggested by Kamernitzsky and Akhrem " to account for axial attack in unhindered ketones is not clear, several groups have reported electrostatic interactions affect the course of borohydride reductions. Thus the keto acid (5a) is not reduced by boro-hydride but its ester (5b) is reduced rapidly further, the reduction of the ester (6b) takes place much more rapidly than that of the acid (6a). Spectroscopic data eliminate the possibility that in (5a) there is an interaction between the acid and ketone groups (e.g. formation of a lactol). The results have been attributed to a direct repulsion by the carboxylate ion as the borohydride ion approaches. " By contrast, House and co-workers observed no electrostatic effect on the stereochemistry of reduction of the keto acid (7). However, in this compound the acid group may occupy conformations in which it does not shield the ketone. Henbest reported that substituting chlorine... 

Some instances of incomplete debromination of 5,6-dibromo compounds may be due to the presence of 5j5,6a-isomer of wrong stereochemistry for anti-coplanar elimination. The higher temperature afforded by replacing acetone with refluxing cyclohexanone has proved advantageous in some cases. There is evidence that both the zinc and lithium aluminum hydride reductions of vicinal dihalides also proceed faster with diaxial isomers (ref. 266, cf. ref. 215, p. 136, ref. 265). The chromous reduction of vicinal dihalides appears to involve free radical intermediates produced by one electron transfer, and is not stereospecific but favors tra 5-elimination in the case of vic-di-bromides. Chromous ion complexed with ethylene diamine is more reactive than the uncomplexed ion in reduction of -substituted halides and epoxides to olefins. ... 

Disulfonate esters of vicinal diols sometimes undergo reductive elimination on treatment with sodium iodide in acetone at elevated temperature and pressure (usually l(X)-200°). This reaction derived from sugar chemistry has been used occasionally with steroids, principally in the elimination of 2,3-dihy-droxysapogenin mesylates. The stereochemistry of the substituents and ring junction is important, as illustrated in the formation of the A -olefins (133) and (134). 

The success of the halo ketone route depends on the stereo- and regio-selectivity in the halo ketone synthesis, as well as on the stereochemistry of reduction of the bromo ketone. Lithium aluminum hydride or sodium borohydride are commonly used to reduce halo ketones to the /mm-halohydrins. However, carefully controlled reaction conditions or alternate reducing reagents, e.g., lithium borohydride, are often required to avoid reductive elimination of the halogen. 

Preferential elimination of hydrogen fluonde from vicinal halofluoro compounds occurs also in the cyclohexane series [55 56, 57], acenaphthene series [55], and benzodihydrofuran series [59 60] Here, the strength of the base and the stereochemistry play important roles... 

It is not known whether the amine assists the elimination of the nitrogen, but that the iminium salt retains its stereochemistry has been demonstrated (709). When a mixture of 68 and 69of 1 5 ratio is treated with diazomethane, the ratio of 70 71 obtained in 75% yield and determined spectroscopically was still 1 5. The traw-N-isopropyl-N-methylisobutylidinium perchlorate (69) was prepared by alkylation of an aldimine salt with diazomethanc and... 

Stereoselective epoxidation can be realized through either substrate-controlled (e.g. 35 —> 36) or reagent-controlled approaches. A classic example is the epoxidation of 4-t-butylcyclohexanone. When sulfonium ylide 2 was utilized, the more reactive ylide irreversibly attacked the carbonyl from the axial direction to offer predominantly epoxide 37. When the less reactive sulfoxonium ylide 1 was used, the nucleophilic addition to the carbonyl was reversible, giving rise to the thermodynamically more stable, equatorially coupled betaine, which subsequently eliminated to deliver epoxide 38. Thus, stereoselective epoxidation was achieved from different mechanistic pathways taken by different sulfur ylides. In another case, reaction of aldehyde 38 with sulfonium ylide 2 only gave moderate stereoselectivity (41 40 = 1.5/1), whereas employment of sulfoxonium ylide 1 led to a ratio of 41 40 = 13/1. The best stereoselectivity was accomplished using aminosulfoxonium ylide 25, leading to a ratio of 41 40 = 30/1. For ketone 42, a complete reversal of stereochemistry was observed when it was treated with sulfoxonium ylide 1 and sulfonium ylide 2, respectively. ... 

Advantages of the Stille reaction include neutral conditions under which the reaction takes place, often with full retention of stereochemistry, and compatibility with nearly all functional groups thus eliminating additional steps required for protection and deprotection. Conversely, a highly undesirable drawback is the use of toxic tin compounds and the ensuing difficult removal of these from the reaction mixture. 

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