MeMgBr

The Darzens condensation reaction has been used with a wide variety of enolate equivalents that have been covered elsewhere. A recent application of this important reaction was appljed toward the asymmetric synthesis of aziridine phosphonates by Davis and coworkers.In this application, a THF solution of sulfinimine 34 (0.37 mmol, >98% ee) and iodophosphonate 35 (0.74 mmol) was treated with LiHMDS (0.74 mmol) at -78 °C to give aziridine 36 in 75% yield. Treatment of 36 with MeMgBr removed the sulfinyl group to provide aziridine 37 in 72% yield. 

Reaction of 1 -methylene-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-5//-pyrazino[2,1 -Z)]quina-zoline-3,6-diones (435) with PhLi and MeMgBr in THE at —78°C gave a mixture of 1 l//-pyrido[2,l-Z)]-quinazolin-l 1-ones 435-439 (01T1987). 

Asymmetric ring-opening of saturated epoxides by organoctiprates has been studied, hut only low enantioselectivities f -c 1596 ee) have so far been obtained [49, 50]. Muller et al., for example, have reported that tlie reaction between cyclohexene oxide and MeMgBr, catalyzed by 1096 of a chiral Schiffhase copper complex, gave froiis-2-metliylcyclohexanol in 5096 yield and with 1096 ee [50]. 

Indeed, treatment of azirine 57 with MeMgBr afforded aziridine-2-carbox-ylate 58 in 90% yield [65],... 

Treatment of sulfmylaziridine 73 (Scheme 3.23) with MeMgBr and then with tert-butyllithium gave aziridinyllithium 74, which reacted with ethyl chloroformate to afford aziridine-2-carboxylate 75 in 64% yield [70]. The reaction was stereospecific, giving 75 as a single diastereomer. 

In this method, one alkyne is treated with Schwartz s reagent (see 15-17) to produce a vinylic zirconium intermediate. Addition of MeLi or MeMgBr, followed by the second alkyne, gives another intermediate, which, when treated with aqueous acid, gives the diene in moderate-to-good yields. The stereoisomer shown is the one formed in usually close to 100% purity. If the second intermediate is treated with I2 instead of aqueous acid, the 1,4-diiodo-1,3-diene is obtained instead, in comparable yield and isomeric purity. This reaction can also be done intramolecularly Diynes 56 can be cyclized to ( , E) exocychc dienes 57 by treatment with a zirconium complex. 

---