Michael addition experimental procedure

Annual Volume 71 contains 30 checked and edited experimental procedures that illustrate important new synthetic methods or describe the preparation of particularly useful chemicals. This compilation begins with procedures exemplifying three important methods for preparing enantiomerically pure substances by asymmetric catalysis. The preparation of (R)-(-)-METHYL 3-HYDROXYBUTANOATE details the convenient preparation of a BINAP-ruthenium catalyst that is broadly useful for the asymmetric reduction of p-ketoesters. Catalysis of the carbonyl ene reaction by a chiral Lewis acid, in this case a binapthol-derived titanium catalyst, is illustrated in the preparation of METHYL (2R)-2-HYDROXY-4-PHENYL-4-PENTENOATE. The enantiomerically pure diamines, (1 R,2R)-(+)- AND (1S,2S)-(-)-1,2-DIPHENYL-1,2-ETHYLENEDIAMINE, are useful for a variety of asymmetric transformations hydrogenations, Michael additions, osmylations, epoxidations, allylations, aldol condensations and Diels-Alder reactions. Promotion of the Diels-Alder reaction with a diaminoalane derived from the (S,S)-diamine is demonstrated in the synthesis of (1S,endo)-3-(BICYCLO[2.2.1]HEPT-5-EN-2-YLCARBONYL)-2-OXAZOLIDINONE. 

This experimental procedure must be followed carefully to avoid partial decomposition of ethyl a-(hydroxymethyl)acrylate. The reaction is stopped rapidly after the addition of the carbonate solution (5 min) to prevent formation of high molecular weight by-products which result from transesterification and Michael addition, both of which occur in the basic medium. However, about 25% of the product is lost. Addition of diethyl ether during cooling minimizes side reactions. 

The cycHc urea moiety provides structural rigidity as well as hydrogen-bonding possibihties similar to those of the imidazoles described above. The corresponding 2-imidazolones have been prepared on a soHd phase by tandem aminoacylation of a resin-bound allylic amine with an isocyanate followed by intramolecular Michael addition [73]. However, due to the paucity of data presented on the characterized compounds and the brief experimental procedure, this synthesis is not discussed in detail. Access to cyclic ureas or thioureas has also been obtained by reaction with carbonyl- or thiocarbonyldiimidazole through a cyclo-release mechanism [74—76]. 1,3-Dihydroimidazolones have been obtained by treatment of ureido acetals with TFA and subsequent conversion in an intramolecular cyclization via an N-acyliminium ion [77]. 

The efficient solvent-free microwave-assisted procedure for C-alkyl pyrroles synthesis using silica gel-supported reagent has been reported. Thus, a general procedure for the Michael addition of pyrroles with electron-deficient olefin has been developed. In the case of the moderately bulky electron-deficient olefins, a catalytic amount of BiCls has to be employed to promote the reaction. The experimental results indicated that BiCla exhibited a high catalytic activity and did not induce polymerization and polyalkylation under microwave (Equation 5) [26a]. 

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