Intermolecular coupling, ketones with oxime

Intermolecular coupling between ketones and 0-methyl oximes, hydrazones and nitrones is achieved on reduction at a tin cathode in isopropanol [105]. It is not clear which of the reacting species accepts the initial electron in these processes. The reaction with 0-methyloximes, followed by catalytic reduction of the first formed O-methylhydroxylamine, is a convenient synthetic route to 2-amino-alcohols. 

Intermolecular reactions between 0-benzyl oximes and ketones (or aldehydes) are limited to those with formaldehyde O-benzyl oxime. However, intramolecular coupling proceeds with carbonyl-tethered oxime ethers (Equation (69)). 

Samarium diiodide has also been used for the intramolecular coupling of aldehydes and ketones with O-benzyl formaldoxime [83], for the corresponding intermolecular coupling with diphenylhydrazone [84,85] and for the intramolecular coupling of an a,p-unsaturated ester with an oxime ether [86] (Scheme 39). In all these cases the addition of HMPA was found to be essential for a successful reaction. 

In addition to the various dicarbonyl coupling reactions previously described, SmF also promotes the cross-coupling of carbonyl substrates with oximes [45] and aldimines [46], Intermolecular examples have been reported, but mixtures of dia-stereomers result unless the ketone is sterically biased (Eq. 39). Much more useful... 

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