Molybdenum heteroatom-substituted

Heteroatom-substituted (Fischer-type) carbene complexes are mostly used as stoichiometric reagents. For this reason only carbene complexes of reasonably cheap metals, such as chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, or iron have found broad application in organic synthesis. 

A remarkable reaction, discovered by McGuire and Hegedus in 1982 [292], is the photochemical conversion of heteroatom-substituted chromium and molybdenum carbene complexes into intermediates with ketene-like character (Figure 2.21). This reaction has been reviewed by Hegedus [203]. 

Also non-heteroatom-substituted tungsten [440,443,444,451,452,461], molybdenum [437], and chromium carbene complexes [440] have been prepared by a-abstraction of alkoxide. 

Enantiosdective allyic substitution processes have been developed over the course of 30 years. Initial observations of the reactions of nucleophiles with paUadium-allyl complexes led to the observation of catalytic substitutions of aUylic ethers and esters, and then catalytic enantioselective aUylic substitutions. The use of catalysts based on ottier metals has led to reactions that occur with complementary regiochemistry. Moreover, flie scope of the reactions has expanded to include heteroatom and unstabilized carbon nucleophiles. Suitable electrophiles for these reactions indude allyhc esters of various types, allyhc ethers, aUylic alcohols, and aUylic halides. Enantioselective reactions can be conducted with monoesters or by selection for deavage of one of two equivalent esters. The mechanism of these reactions occurs by initial oxidative addition to form a metal-aUyl complex. The second step involves nudeophilic attadc on ttie aUyl ligand for reaction of "soft" nudeophiles or inner-sphere reductive eUmination for reactions of "hard" nudeophiles. The external nudeophilic attack typicaUy occurs by reaction of the nudeophile with a cationic aUyl complex at the face opposite to that to which Uie metal is bound. Exceptions indude reactions of certain molybdenum-aUyl complexes. Dissociation of product then regenerates the starting catalyst. Because of the diversity of the classes of these reactions, aUylic substitution—in particular asymmetric aUylic substitution—has been used to prepare a wide variety of natural products. 

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