Nucleophilic addition reactions organometallic reagents with

Nucleophilic addition remains the most utilized reaction of pyridinium salts. Addition generally occurs at the 2- or 4-position giving rise to 2- or 4-dihydropyridines, respectively. Charette et al. observed nucleophilic addition of organometallic reagents to the 2-position of N-amidine pyridinium salts <050L5401>. This chemistry is illustrated in Scheme 19 with amide 71. 

Nitrones have a more reactive C=N bond toward nucleophilic addition compared to imines. In spite of this fact, there have been only a limited number of studies on the nucleophilic addition reactions of nitrones, particularly organometallic reagents.352-355 During the last decade, research related to reactions of nitrones with zinc-containing reagents was essentially focused on (i) dialkylzinc-assisted alkynylations356-358 and vinylations359 of nitrones, (ii) catalytic asymmetric nucleophilic additions to the C=N bond,360-364 and (iii) nitrone allylations by allylzinc halides.365,366... 

Reactions of highly electron-rich organometalate salts (organocuprates, orga-noborates, Grignard reagents, etc.) and metal hydrides (trialkyltin hydride, triethylsilane, borohydrides, etc.) with cyano-substituted olefins, enones, ketones, carbocations, pyridinium cations, etc. are conventionally formulated as nucleophilic addition reactions. We illustrate the utility of donor/acceptor association and electron-transfer below. 

In addition of organometallic reagents to some arynes, prior counterion complexation with the substituent can direct the incoming group to the ortho position (kinetic control). Addition of alkyllithiums to oxazolinyl (OXZ) aryne (51) to give the ortho product (52) is explained in this manner. In contrast, lithium dialkylcuprates add to the aryne (51) exclusively at the meta position. This is ascribed to thermodynamic control of the reaction, which results in the formation of the more ligated and stable adduct (S3).i2 Control of nucleophilic addition to arynes by complex-induced proximity effects has not been explored with substituents other than OXZ,83 but has considerable synthetic potential if it can be achieved, say through solvent manipulation. 

Because organometallic reagents are strong nucleophiles, they react with many other electrophiles in addition to carbonyl groups. Because these reactions always lead to the formation of new carbon-carbon bonds, they are also valuable in organic synthesis. In Section 20.14, we examine the reactions of organometallic reagents with carbon dioxide and epoxides. 

Nucleophilic addition using organometallics showed that the C-4 position of (la) is a hard reaction site, whereas the C-5 position has soft reactivity (Equation (15)) <85CC1370>. These results are in accord with those from MO calculations. Softer nucleophiles such as organocopper reagents underwent a redox reaction with triazine to give 2,5-dihydro derivatives without ring substitution. 

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