Enones addition reactions with organomagnesium

Manganese-copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of organomagnesium reagents to a,p-enones is a general synthetic method. Table I shows that the reaction can be successfully performed even with enones of low reactivity. 30% Manganese chloride is necessary to obtain good yields. In most cases, however, 0.1% cuprous chloride is sufficient.3... 

Organomagnesiums frequently prove superior also in other types of reactions. They may facilitate the oxidation of a carbon-metal to a carbon-oxygen bond, secure clean monoaddition of an acetylide to an activated ester (a critical issue in a monensin synthesis X favor in the presence of a copper catalyst 1,4-addition onto a conjugated enone over 1,2-addition, reorient the attack of formaldehyde on a benzylic entitiy from the a- to the or /to-position, and provide diastereoselectivity in nucleophilic additions onto aldehydes. Furthermore organomagnesiums combine under carbon-carbon linking with a variety of organic halides, tosylates, and acetates if the process is mediated by transition elements such as palladium(O) copper(I), nickel(II) or iron(II) Organoalkalis are often less fit to enter such catalytic cycles. 

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