Enolates crystal structures

Exactly 10 years after the previous statement appeared, the first lithium enolate crystal structures were published as (5) and (6). Thus, structural information derived from X-ray diffraction analysis proved the tetrameric, cubic geometry for the THF-solvated, lithium enolates derived from r-butyl methyl ketone (pinacolone) and from cyclopentanone. Hence, the tetrameric aggregate characterized previously by NMR as (7) was now defined unambiguously. Moreover, the general tetrameric aggregate (7) now became embellished in (5) and (6) by the inclusion of coordinating solvent molecules, i.e. THE. A representative quotation from this 1981 crystal structure analysis is given below. 

Few ester enolate crystal structures have been described. The lack of structural information is no doubt due to the fact that the ester enolates undergo a-elimination reactions at or below room temperature. A good discussion of the temperatures at which lithium ester enolates undergo this elimination is presented in the same paper with the crystal structures of the lithium enolates derived from r-butyl propionate (163), r-butyl isobutyrate (164) and methyl 3,3-dimethylbutanoate (165). It is significant Aat two of the lithium ester enolates derived from (163) and (165) are both obtained with alkene geometry such that the alkyl group is trans to the enolate oxygen. It is also noteworthy that the two TMEDA-solvated enolates from (163) and (164) are dimeric, while the THF-solvated enolate from (165) exists as a tetramer. 

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