Enones conjugate addition reactions

The mechanism of conjugate addition reactions probably involves an initial complex between the cuprate and enone.51 The key intermediate for formation of the new carbon-carbon bond is an adduct formed between the enone and the organocopper reagent. The adduct is formulated as a Cu(III) species, which then undergoes reductive elimination. The lithium ion also plays a key role, presumably by Lewis acid coordination at the carbonyl oxygen.52 Solvent molecules also affect the reactivity of the complex.53 The mechanism can be outlined as occurring in three steps. 

Dieter developed a flexible two step synthesis of substituted pyrroles involving initial Beak deprotonation of /ert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) amines 36 followed by addition of CuX-2LiCl (X = -Cl, -CN) to afford a-aminoalkylcuprates. Such cuprates undergo conjugate addition reactions to a,(3-alkynyl ketones affording a,(3-enones 37, which upon treatment with PhOH/TMSCl undergo carbamate deprotection and intramolecular cyclization to afford the pyrroles 38 . 

The silylcuprate conjugate addition reaction has been used for the protection of an enone double bond, which can be regenerated with CuBr2 [22a], and for the strategic introduction of the silyl substituent for stereocontrol and regiocontrol purposes. Enantiopure 5-trimethylsilyl-2-cyclohexenone can be prepared by conjugate addition reaction [44] and the appropriate enantiomer has been converted into a number of natural products (Scheme 3.4) [38]. These synthetic strategies exploit... 

To investigate the effect of the substituents in the arenethiolate structure, four differently substituted copper arenethiolates, 25-28, were tested as catalysts, but very low ees were obtained in all cases [34]. The oxazolidine complex 26, developed by Pfaltz et al. [36] and used successfully in asymmetric conjugate addition reactions to cyclic enones, gave a completely racemic product with allylic substrate 20a. 

Woodward et al. have used the binaphthol-derived ligand 40 in asymmetric conjugate addition reactions of dialkylzinc to enones [46]. Compound 40 has also been studied as a ligand in allylic substitutions with diorganozinc reagents [47]. To allow better control over selectivity in y substitution of the allylic electrophiles studied, Woodward et al. investigated the influence of an additional ester substituent in the jS-position (Scheme 8.25). 

Cyanide ion acts as a carbon nucleophile in the conjugate addition reaction. An alcoholic solution of potassium or sodium cyanide is suitable for simple enones. 

Michael reaction with exocycHc ,(S-enones Conjugate addition of secondary amines to a,/ -enones proceeds readily unless the enonc is cxocyclic. in "Such a case the reaction is very slow unless alumina is added as catalyst. Thus the reaction of 1 and diethylamine in the presence of alumina proceeds in 2 hours to give 2 quantitatively. 

Phosphine-complexed cuprates, formed from copper(I) iodide, 1 mol equiv. of RtLi, and 2-5 mol equiv. of tri-n-butylphosphine, show good reactivity in conjugate addition reactions with enones (Table l).39 The hazards surrounding the use of excess Bun3P, and the availability of other methodologies lower the popularity of this method, but efficiency can be realized with this methodology. 

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