Grignard reagents protonation

Alkynyl anions are more stable = 22) than the more saturated alkyl or alkenyl anions (p/Tj = 40-45). They may be obtained directly from terminal acetylenes by treatment with strong base, e.g. sodium amide (pA, of NH 35). Frequently magnesium acetylides are made in proton-metal exchange reactions with more reactive Grignard reagents. Copper and mercury acetylides are formed directly from the corresponding metal acetates and acetylenes under neutral conditions (G.E. Coates, 1977 R.P. Houghton, 1979). 

Another feature of the Pd—C bonds is the excellent functional group tolerance. They are inert to many functional groups, except alkenes and alkynes and iodides and bromides attached to sp carbons, and not sensitive to H2O, ROH, and even RCO H. In this sense, they are very different from Grignard reagents, which react with carbonyl groups and are easily protonated. 

Acetylenic Grignard reagents of the type RC CMgBr are prepared not from an acetylenic halide but by an acid-base reaction in which a Grignard reagent abstracts a proton from a terminal aUcyne... 

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. 

Because 2-chloroethanol has a proton bonded to oxygen, it is not an appropriate substrate for conversion to a stable Grignard reagent. 

However, Powers et al. concluded, as a result of their investigations of the protonation of the indole Grignard reagent.that in ether... 

IThe Grignard reagent is protonated by these groups. 

As with the reduction of carbonyl compounds discussed in the previous section, we ll defer a detailed treatment of the mechanism of Grignard reactions until Chapter 19. For the moment, it s sufficient to note that Grignard reagents act as nucleophilic carbon anions, or carbanions ( R ), and that the addition of a Grignard reagent to a carbonyl compound is analogous to the addition of hydride ion. The intermediate is an alkoxide ion, which is protonated by addition of F O"1 in a second step. 

Methods of synthesis for carboxylic acids include (1) oxidation of alkyl-benzenes, (2) oxidative cleavage of alkenes, (3) oxidation of primary alcohols or aldehydes, (4) hydrolysis of nitriles, and (5) reaction of Grignard reagents with CO2 (carboxylation). General reactions of carboxylic acids include (1) loss of the acidic proton, (2) nucleophilic acyl substitution at the carbonyl group, (3) substitution on the a carbon, and (4) reduction. 

Polarization also occurs in coupling and disproportionation reactions of Grignard reagents with alkyl halides. The vinyl protons of isobutene produced in the reaction of t-butylmagnesium chloride with t-butyl bromide show A/E polarization as do the methyl protons of isobutane (Ward et al., 1970). Similar results arise in the reaction of diethyl-magnesium with organic halides (Kasukhin et al., 1972). 

In general, the reaction can be performed only with organometallics of active metals such as lithium, sodium, and potassium, but Grignard reagents abstract protons from a sufficiently acidic C—H bond, as in R—C=C—H —> R—C=C—MgX. This method is best for the preparation of alkynyl Grignard reagents. ... 

The Grignard reagents prepared from the activated magnesium appear to react normally with electrophiles. Thus reactions with proton donors, ketones, and carbon dioxide afford hydrocarbons, alcohols, and carboxylic acids, respectively. The reductive coupling of ketones to pinacols had also been accomplished with the activated magnesium. ... 

Note that the Grignard reagent adds regiosclcctively to the CO group of (36) while the dehydration of (35) is unambiguous whichever Me group loses the proton the same product is formed. 

Rearrangements closely resembling the Stevens rearrangement have been investigated by applying Grignard reagents or potassium t-butoxide in dimethyl-formamide (low availability of protons) to cis- and trans-2,4-diphenylthietane oxides and dioxides . The main results are summarized in equation 97 and 98. 

With RCH2CN, however, there is a tendency for Grignard reagents to remove a proton from the CH2 group, leading to more complex reactions. Reduction with Li AlH4e (c/. p. 214) yields RCH2NH2, NH3 adds to (193), in the presence of NH4 Cle to yield salts of amidines, RC(NH2)=NH2 Cle. Acid-catalysed addition of alcohols,... 

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