Noyori annulation

Another synthetically useful carbon bond-forming reaction involves reaction of diiron nonacarbonyl with halo-carbonyl compounds. Noyori found that a,a -dibromoketones (498) react with diiron nonacarbonyl [Fe2(CO)9] to give an iron stabilized alkoxy zwitterion (499). The intermediate Jt-allyl iron species reacts with alkenes in a stepwise manner (initially producing 500) to give cyclic ketones such as 501, 23 and the product is equivalent to the product of a [3-t2]-cycloaddition with an alkene (sec. 11.11). This cyclization method is now known as Noyori annulation. This reaction is related to the Nazarov cyclization previously discussed in Section 12.3.C. Enamines can react with 498, but the initially formed enamino ketone product eliminates the amino group to form cyclopentanone derivatives. Intermediates such as 499 may actually exist as cations hound to a metal rather than as the alkoxide-iron structures shown.323b-d noted that Zn/B(OEt)3 is... 

---