Nickel carbonyl, reactions with allylic halides reagents

K-Allylnickel ImBiles (2, 291), Walter and Wilke reported briefly that Ni(COD)2 is more reactive than nickel carbonyl in the reaction of allylic halides to form 71-allyl-nickel halides. The reaction proceeds below 0° and in quantitative yields. The method has not been used extensively since nickel carbonyl is commercially available. However, Semmelhack recommends use of Ni(COD)2 for the preparation of thermally sensitive a-allyinickel halides such as it-(2-carbocthoxyallyl)nickel bromide," which was prepared from ethyl 2-bromomethylacrylate with this nickel reagent in 76% yield. 

In contrast with the results obtained with simple allqfl halides, benzyl bromide leads to the formation of 77 and the ketone 78 in variable ratios (Scheme 26). A similar result has been reported in the reactions between the oxidative addition product of Ni(COD)bpy or Ni(COD)TMEDA with cw-4-cyclohexen-l,2-dicarboxylic anhydride and alkyl iodidesWith allyl bromide as the electrophile, ketone 79 is the only product isolated. However, when the reaction is performed with isolated nickelacycle 66 in the absence of Ni(CO)2Me2Phen, allylated alanine 80 is formed exclusively (60% yield) (Scheme 26). These results show that the carbonyl nickel complex is not inert because with certain reagents it transfers CO to the nickeMactone 66. Alternatively, the formation of ketones in these reactions could be explained by alkylation of the primary oxidative addition product or by carbonylation of allyl or benzyl bromide to give acyl bromides which react with 66 to give the observed products. However, this last reaction pathway seems unlikely because acetyl or benzoyl chloride do not react with in situ generated nickelacycle 66. 

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