Grignard reagents nucleophilicity

In this section we discuss the opening of the thiophene ring by Grignard reagents. Nucleophilic ring-opening reactions of cyano- and nitro-thiophenes are relegated to the appropriate sections (3.14.3.3 and 3.14.3.5). 

Pentadienyls may be considered as vinylogues of allyl complexes and accordingly parallels exist, both in their synthesis and reactivity. These are most widely prepared by transmetallation from lithium or Grignard reagents, nucleophilic attack at pentadienyl halides or via hydride abstraction from rj4-pentadiene complexes (Figure 7.13). 

The synthesis of a series of alkyl aryl sulfoxides using Grignard reagent nucleophiles was investigated by Evans and the results are summarized in Scheme 2.16 and Table 2.5 for the fV-sulfinyloxazolidinone (17). 

Methods of producing B —C bonds include hydroboration, nucleophilic displacement at a boron atom in BX., (X = halogens or B(0R>3) by e.g. a Grignard reagent, and a psewiio-Friedel-Crafts reaction with an aromatic hydrocarbon, BX3, and AICI3. 

The Grignard reagent RMgX is nucleophilic by virtue of the potential car banion (alkyl anion) R. It will react with the electrophilic carbonyl group as follows ... 

The phenylation of styrene with phenyl Grignard reagents as a hard carbon nucleophile proceeds in 75% yield in the presence of PdCl2, LiCl, and K2CO3 at room temperature to give stilbene (207). Selection of the solvent is crucial and the best results are obtained in MeCN. The reaction can be made catalytic by the use of CuCl2[197]. Methyllithium reacts with styrene in the presence of Pd(acac)2 or Pd(OAc)2 to give /3-methylstyrene (208) in 90% yield[198]. 

We saw an example of nucleophilic ring opening of epoxides in Section 15 4 where the reaction of Grignard reagents with ethylene oxide was described as a synthetic route to primary alcohols... 

You have already had considerable experience with carbanionic compounds and their applications in synthetic organic chemistry The first was acetyhde ion m Chapter 9 followed m Chapter 14 by organometallic compounds—Grignard reagents for example—that act as sources of negatively polarized carbon In Chapter 18 you learned that enolate ions—reactive intermediates generated from aldehydes and ketones—are nucleophilic and that this property can be used to advantage as a method for carbon-carbon bond formation... 

Experiments ( P nmr) using 0.8 and 2 equivalents of octyhnagnesium chloride with ethyl ben2enephosphinate indicate that the nucleophilic displacement occurs first, foHowed by proton abstraction (80). Interestingly, the order of the two steps is reversed when methyhnagnesium chloride is used (81). This reaction demonstrates the difference ia reactivity between the octyl and the methyl Grignard reagents. 

A soft (nucleophilic) Grignard reagent has been developed (82—84). The value of this reaction is demonstrated ia acylation reactions (82). 

This Michael-type addition is catalyzed by lanthanum(3+) [16096-89-2] (80). Ethylene glycol [107-21-1] reacts with maleate under similar conditions (81). A wide range of nucleophilic reagents add to the maleate and fumarate frameworks including alcohols, ammonia, amines, sulfinic acids, thioureas, Grignard reagents, Michael reagents, and alkali cyanides (25). 

The reaction involves nucleophilic substitution of for OR and addition of R MgX to the carbonyl group. With 1,4-dimagnesium compounds, esters are converted to cyclopentanols (40). Lactones react with Grignard reagents and give diols as products. 

Addition of Grignard reagents and organolithium compounds to the pyridazine ring proceeds as a nucleophilic attack at one of the electron-deficient positions to give initially... 

In some instances a carbon-carbon bond can be formed with C-nucleophiles. For example, 3-carboxamido-6-methylpyridazine is produced from 3-iodo-6-methylpyridazine by treatment with potassium cyanide in aqueous ethanol and l,3-dimethyl-6-oxo-l,6-dihydro-pyridazine-4-carboxylic acid from 4-chloro-l,3-dimethylpyridazin-6-(lH)-one by reaction with a mixture of cuprous chloride and potassium cyanide. Chloro-substituted pyridazines react with Grignard reagents. For example, 3,4,6-trichloropyridazine reacts with f-butyl-magnesium chloride to give 4-t-butyl-3,5,6-trichloro-l,4-dihydropyridazine (120) and 4,5-di-t-butyl-3,6-dichloro-l,4-dihydropyridazine (121) and both are converted into 4-t-butyl-3,6-dichloropyridazine (122 Scheme 38). 

Additions of other nucleophiles to pyridopyrazines have been described in a number of cases for instance, Grignard reagents give 2,3-dialkyl compounds (398) (or 6-alkyl analogues with 2,3-diaryl compounds) (76BSF251), and other workers have also observed 6-addition <71CR(C)(273)1529). 

Compounds which can formally be considered as anhydro bases can sometimes react with nucleophiles. Thus unsaturated azlactones with Grignard reagents give saturated azlactones (Scheme 50) (65AHC(4)75). 

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