Nitriles reaction with chromium tricarbonyl

Reactions with other carbon triple bonded functional groups. The substitution of nitrile for alkynes does not lead to pyridines or quinolines in the benzannulation reaction. Instead noncyclic products are obtained that are the result of insertion of the carbon-nitrogen triple bond into the metal-carbene bond. On the other hand, in a very recent report it was found that k -phosphaalkynes will undergo the benzannulation reaction to produce phosphaarene chromium tricarbonyl complexes. 

Chiral 2-substituted benzaldehyde chromium tricarbonyl complexes have been reacted with chloroacetophenone in the presence of KO-fert-Bu [544], After decomplexation, the E-epoxyketone is obtained with a high selectivity (Figure 6.88). This Darzens reaction with ClCF COO-tert-Bu is poorly stereoselective. Condensation of the same aldehydes with methyl aaylate or acrylonitrile in the presence of DABCO, followed by decomplexation, also leads highly selectively to P-hydroxyesters or -nitriles 6.105 (Y = COOMe or CN) [547] (Figure 6.88). An anti aldol product is also obtained with a high selectivity from a chromium complex and the titanium enolate of PhCF OCF COS-tert-Bu at -78°C [1281, 1282], Chiral aminals of a-ketoaldehydes react with lithium or sodium enolates of ethyl acetate. After treatment with acid, compounds 6.106 are obtained with a high enantiomeric excess (Figure 6.88). 

The optically pure tricarbonyl chromium(O) complexes 116 have proven to offer an effective shielding of one of the faces of the alkene. Complex 116 was subjected to a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with the sterically crowded nitrile oxide 117 (Scheme 12.39) (172). The reaction proceeds at room temperature to give a 70% yield of 118. After removal of the tricarbonylchromium moiety by a light induced oxidation with air, compound 119 was obtained with an optical purity of 98% enantiomeric excess (ee). 

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