Olefins reduction reactions

The growing importance of cyclopropane derivatives (A. de Meijere, 1979), as synthetic intermediates originates in the unique, olefin-like properties of this carbocycle. Cyclopropane derivatives with one or two activating groups are easily opened (see. p. 69f.). Some of these reactions are highly regio- and stereoselective (E. Wenkert, 1970 A, B E. J. Corey, 1956 A, B, 1975 see p. 70). Many appropriately substituted cyclopropane derivatives yield 1,4-difunctional compounds under mild nucleophilic or reductive reaction conditions. Such compounds are especially useful in syntheses of cyclopentenone derivatives and of heterocycles (see also sections 1.13.3 and 4.6.4). 

The numerous biotransformations catalyzed by cytochrome P450 enzymes include aromatic and aliphatic hydroxylations, epoxidations of olefinic and aromatic structures, oxidations and oxidative dealkylations of heteroatoms and as well as some reductive reactions. Cytochromes P450 of higher animals may be classified into two broad categories depending on whether their substrates are primarily endogenous or xenobiotic substances. Thus, CYP enzymes of families 1-3 catalyze... 

Oxalamidinate anions represent the most simple type of bis(amidinate) ligands in which two amidinate units are directly connected via a central C-C bond. Oxalamidinate complexes of d-transition metals have recently received increasing attention for their efficient catalytic activity in olefin polymerization reactions. Almost all the oxalamidinate ligands have been synthesized by deprotonation of the corresponding oxalic amidines [pathway (a) in Scheme 190]. More recently, it was found that carbodiimides, RN = C=NR, can be reductively coupled with metallic lithium into the oxalamidinate dianions [(RN)2C-C(NR)2] [route (c)J which are clearly useful for the preparation of dinuclear oxalamidinate complexes. The lithium complex obtained this way from N,N -di(p-tolyl)carbodiimide was crystallized from pyridine/pentane and... 

To gain understanding of the interdependence between the olefin reduction and the sulfoxide reduction, the saturated sulfoxide 52 was prepared and treated with BH3-THF. No reaction was observed under the similar conditions (Scheme 5.18). The unactivated vinyl sulfide 16 was also not reactive toward BH3-THF. These results indicated that sulfoxide and olefin were reduced simultaneously, not independently. Again this phenomenon was unexpected and pointed to the unique nature of this reaction. 

Asymmetric catalytic reduction reactions represent one of the most efficient and convenient methods to prepare a wide range of enantiomerically pure compounds (i.e. a-amino acids can be prepared from a-enamides, alcohols from ketones and amines from oximes or imines). The chirality transfer can be accomplished by different types of chiral catalysts metallic catalysts are very efficient for the hydrogenation of olefins, some ketones and oximes, while nonmetallic catalysts provide a complementary method for ketone and oxime hydrogenation. 

Instead of having the olefin insertion reactions, the calculations indicate that M2b and M2c can only proceed uphill with the reductive elimination of HB(OH)2, leading to the formation of M3, an olefin complex which could be in principle obtained directly from the addition of olefin to the catalyst Rh (PH3)2C1. The olefin complex M3 then could undergo a-bond metathesis processes with HB(OH)2, giving two isomeric products M4 and M5 depending on the orientation of the HB(OH)2 borane. The a-bond metathesis processes are however found to be unfavorable because of the very high reaction barriers (Figure 4). 

Abstract Aldehydes obtained from olefins under hydroformylation conditions can be converted to more complex reaction products in one-pot reaction sequences. These involve heterofunctionalization of aldehydes to form acetals, aminals, imines and enamines, including reduction products of the latter in an overall hydroaminomethylation. Furthermore, numerous conversions of oxo aldehydes with additional C.C-bond formation are conceivable such as aldol reactions, allylations, carbonyl olefinations, ene reactions and electrophilic aromatic substitutions, including Fischer indole syntheses. 

In a related study, the oxidation-reduction sequence was carried out in the presence of an olefin (Scheme 21). Two products were formed. The major product resulted from the net reduction of the carboxylic acid to an aldehyde. The minor product resulted from trapping of the radical anion intermediate generated from the reduction reaction by the olefin. It should be noted that, in the absence of a trapping group, the acid can be selectively reduced to the aldehyde without any over-reduction. Although not in the scope of this review, this is a very useful transformation in its own right [35]. At this time, the yields of the cyclized products from the cyclization reaction of the radical anion with the olefin remain low. 

Synthetic applications of the asymmetric Birch reduction and reduction-alkylation are reported. Synthetically useful chiral Intermediates have been obtained from chiral 2-alkoxy-, 2-alkyl-, 2-aryl- and 2-trialkylsllyl-benzamides I and the pyrrolobenzodlazeplne-5,ll-diones II. The availability of a wide range of substituents on the precursor benzoic acid derivative, the uniformly high degree of dlastereoselection in the chiral enolate alkylation step, and the opportunity for further development of stereogenic centers by way of olefin addition reactions make this method unusually versatile for the asymmetric synthesis of natural products and related materials. 

Grubbs and co-workers have further investigated the influence of allylic substitution on E/Z diastereocontrol in olefin CM reactions using catalyst 5. In some cases, it was found that secondary and tertiary allylic alcohols could afford complete -selectivity, particularly when a cross-partner bearing allylic heteroatom substitution was used. Also, in contrast to the less reactive catalyst 2, catalyst 5 was found to promote the CM reaction of olefins bearing quaternary allylic substitution (Scheme 7). The cross-partners in these examples represent type III olefins with respect to 5 therefore, they can be applied either stoichiometrically or in excess without a reduction in yield. E/Z ratios of >20 1 were typically observed. 

Aliphatic nitro compounds are versatile building blocks and intermediates in organic synthesis,14 15 cf. the overview given in the Organic Syntheses preparation of nitroacetaldehyde diethyl acetal.16 For example, Henry and Michael additions, respectively, lead to 1,2- and 1,4-difunctionalized derivatives.14 18 1,3-Difunctional compounds, such as amino alcohols or aldols are accessible from primary nitroalkanes by dehydration/1,3-dipolar nitrile oxide cycloaddition with olefins (Mukaiyama reaction),19 followed by ring cleavage of intermediate isoxazolines by reduction or reduction/hydrolysis.20 21... 

Liquid injection molding, for silicone rubbers, 3, 674—675 Liquid ligands, in metal vapor synthesis, 1, 229 Liquid-phase catalysis, supported, for green olefin hydroformylation, 12, 855 Lithiacarbaboranes, preparation, 3, 114 Lithiation, arene chromium tricarbonyls, 5, 236 Lithium aluminum amides, reactions, 3, 282 Lithium aluminum hydride, for alcohol reductions, 3, 279 Lithium borohydride, in hydroborations, 9, 158 Lithium gallium hydride, in reduction reactions, 9, 738 Lithium indium hydride, in carbonyl reductions, 9, 713—714... 

The discovery by the recent Nobel-laureate, Ryoji Noyori, of asymmetric hydrogenation of simple ketones to alcohols catalyzed by raras-RuCl2[(S)-binap][(S,S)-dpen] (binap = [l,l -binaphthalene-2,2/-diyl-bis(diphenylphosphane)] dpen = diphenylethylenediamine) is remarkable in several respects (91). The reaction is quantitative within hours, gives enantiomeric excesses (ee) up to 99%, shows high chemoselecti-vity for carbonyl over olefin reduction, and the substrate-to-catalyst ratio is >100,000. Moreover, the non-classical metal-ligand bifunctional catalytic cycle is mechanistically novel and involves heterolytic... 

It is interesting that catalysts containing highly oxidised species can undergo a reduction reaction to produce a metal carbene complex and an aldehyde on reaction with the olefinic monomer [118] ... 

Most titanium(IV) alkyls tend to be reduced by aluminum alkyls in a complicated sequence of reactions accompanied by evolution of paraffin and olefin. The catalytic activity of the bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium-aluminum complexes is associated with the titanium alkyl. Hence, it is important to characterize the mechanism of any reductive reaction. To investigate side reactions in the absence of polymerization, highly alkylated systems that are completely free of halogen are preferred. Moreover, the higher the alkyl group content of the added aluminum alkyl, the faster the reduction takes place. 

While the original synthesis of 1 features a clever use of the Tebbe olefination reaction, the process routes use elegant methods to set the ring stereochemistry through displacement reactions (and equilibration), followed by reduction, reactions that are much more scalable. This difference reflects the contrasting need for SAR development in the medicinal chemistry work vs. the need for scalability in the process work. 

The synthesis of the 1,6-linked ester was straightforward as outlined in Scheme 6. We were able to convert alcohol 23 to aldehyde 24 using Swern oxidation conditions. Wittig reaction was followed by olefin reduction and saponification to bring the sequence as far as 26. Esterification of 26 with olefin alcohol la, mediated by DCC, then afforded the target ester 27 in good overall yield (13). 

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