Lanthanide enolates applications

Metal enolates found varied application in chemical analysis. An outstanding group are certain lanthanide enolates used as shift reagents in NMR spectroscopy. The analytical methods discussed in Section IV are based on formation of a metal enolate for separation, detection, identification and determination of metal ions or the use of a metal enolate as ancillary reagent to improve analytical quality. Of special relevance in analytical chemistry are the metal /3-diketonates, M(dik) , derivatived from deprotonated /3-diketones (dikH),... 

Stable metal complexes can be favorably formed when a bidentate metal-binding site is available, such as a- and -diketone moieties which are the tautomeric forms of a- and /3-ketoenols. Some /S-diketonate complexes of paramagnetic lanthanides such as Pr(III), Eu(III) and Yb(III) have been extensively utilized as paramagnetic shift reagents for structural assignment of molecules with complicated stereochemistry prior to 2D techniques in NMR spectroscopy. Their syntheses and application are discussed in separate chapters in this volume. The examples below provide some dynamic and structural basis for better understanding of metal enolates in biomolecules and biochemical processes. 

While selective reaction of aldehydes takes place with the typical Lewis acids TiCL, SnCl4, TMSOTf, etc., lanthanide triflates [Ln(OTf)3] are unique Lewis acids that change the reaction course dramatically aldimine reacts selectively in the coexistence of aldehydes [70]. Among a series of Ln(OTf)3 tested, Yb(OTf)3 exhibited the most prominent chemoselectivity in addition to high chemical yields. The silyl enol ethers of ketones, allyltributylstannane and Me3SiCN are all applicable as chemoselective nucleophiles (Table 2-9). Preferential formation of Yb(OTf)3-aldimine complexes was postulated by C NMR spectral analysis in the presence of PhCHO and Y-benzylideneaniline. 

The demand for environmentally friendly chemistry and its widespread applicability have made water an increasingly popnlar solvent for organic transformations. Mixtures of water and other solvents snch as tetrahydrofnran are now commonly anployed for a number of organic transformations. For instance, the Lewis acid catalysed aldol reaction of silyl enol ethers, commonly known as the Mnkaiyama aldol reaction, which was firstly reported in the early seventies, can be carried ont in snch media. With titanium tetrachloride as the catalyst this reaction proceeds regioselectively in high yields, but the reaction has to be carried ont strictly nnder non-aqneons conditions in order to prevent decomposition of the catalyst and hydrolysis of the sUyl enol ethCTS. In the absence of the catalyst it was observed that water had a beneficial influence on this process (Table 4, entry D) . Nevertheless, the yields in the nncatalysed version WCTe still unsatisfactory. Improved results were obtained with water-tolerant Lewis acids. The first reported example for Lewis acid catalysis in aqueous media is the hydroxymethylation of silyl enol ethers with commercial formaldehyde solution using lanthanide trillates. In the meantime, the influence of several lanthanide triflates in cross-aldol reactions of various aldehydes was examined " " ". The reactions were most effectively carried out in 1 9 mixtures of water and tetrahydrofnran with 5-10% Yb(OTf)3, which can be reused after completion of the reaction (Table 19, entry A). Although the realization of this reaction is quite simple, the choice of the solvent is crucial (Table 20). 

Considering the water tolerance of lanthanide Lewis acids, a logical extension of the above-mentioned three-component coupling reaction is the reaction in aqueous media. Kobayashi et al. reported Mannich-type reaction of aldehydes, aniline derivative, and methyl enol ethers with 10mol% of Yb(OTf)3 in THF/H2O solvent system (Table 13.4) [8]. Applicability of commercially available aqueous formaldehyde and chloroacetaldehyde solution is of particular importance from the synthetic point of view (entries 1-3). A wide variety of aldehydes were transformed... 

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