Organocopper compounds reactions with

The authors found that the addition of TMEDA before oxidation was necessary to increase both reproducibility and yields of this sequential process, presumably due to the inhibition of the oxidative dimerization [98], a side reaction known in the chemistry of organocopper compounds. Alkynes with electron-withdrawing groups directly bound to the sp carbon were also employed in the stereoselective carbocupration [99]. For example, the carbocupration of alkynoates 341 promoted by Lewis acids, such as trimethylsilyl triflate, leads to the isomeric TMS-allenoate compounds, which on hydrolysis or a Mukaiyama-type aldol reaction produce the corresponding di- and trisubstituted acrylates 342 (Scheme 10.116) [100]. 

Organocopper compounds have been trapped by coordination with organic bases. In addition, arylcopper compounds (ArCu) have been independently prepared and shown to give biaryls (ArAr ) when treated with aryl iodides (Ar I). A similar reaction has been used for ring closure. 

Alkynylcoppers constitute a class of compounds relevant to several synthetic organic reactions,47 where they have been proposed as key intermediates. The interest in this area has supposed that the number of structurally characterized alkynylcopper complexes has considerably expanded in the last few years. The most common route toward alkynylcoppers is based on the reaction of a terminal alkyne with a copper source, either a salt or an organocopper compound (Equations (8) and (9)). 

Cyanocuprates constitute a class of organocopper compounds that finds applications in organic synthesis.234 They are prepared by the direct reaction of an organolithium reagent and CuCN, with two different types of compounds being prepared depending on the stoichiometry employed the 1 1 ratio leads to RCu(CN)Li compounds whereas the 2 1 mixture affords R2Gu(GN)Li2. The lower- order or 1 1 cyanocuprates usually display the Cu-C-N-Li... 

In these transformations, organocopper compounds are often the reagents of choice, although recently other metals such as aluminum, titanium, samarium and indium have also proven to be highly useful. Since earlier contributions to this field have already been summarized extensively [1], we shall concentrate on more recent contributions published after 1980. Rather than trying to be comprehendsive, representative examples with references to the most important reaction types will be given. 

As in the case of addition reactions of carbon nucleophiles to activated dienes (Section HA), organocopper compounds are the reagents of choice for regio- and stereoselective Michael additions to acceptor-substituted enynes. Substrates bearing an acceptor-substituted triple bond besides one or more conjugated double bonds react with organocuprates under 1,4-addition exclusively (equation 51)138-140 1,6-addition reactions which would provide allenes after electrophilic capture were not observed (cf. Section IV). 

As is implicit in the fact that the products of the (stoichiometric) 1,6-cuprate addition - the lithium allenyl enolate and the organocopper compound - are formed as independent species, it is also possible to conduct the reaction catalytically through in situ regeneration of the cuprate. The reaction can thus be run in a continuous mode, with only catalytic amounts of the preformed cuprate being necessary (with simultaneous addition of the substrate and the organolithium compound) enabling the desired allenes to be prepared even on larger scales (Eq. 4.17) [3oj. 

Sn2 Reactions with epoxides and aziridines are also synthetically useful. An example of epoxide cleavage with an organocopper reagent with sp carbon moieties is the enantioselective synthesis of (3S, 4S)-4-methyl-3-heptanol (53), an elm bark beetle (Scolytus multistriatus) pheromone [42]. The chiral epoxy oxazolidine 51 [43], prepared from (R)-phenylglycinol, reacted with a propylmagnesium bromide-derived cuprate at —70 °C to afford the oxazolidine 52 in 74% yield (Scheme 9.12). Compound 52 was converted into the target molecular 53 by conventional procedures. 

While a large number of studies have been reported for conjugate addition and Sn2 alkylation reactions, the mechanisms of many important organocopper-promoted reactions have not been discussed. These include substitution on sp carbons, acylation with acyl halides [168], additions to carbonyl compounds, oxidative couplings [169], nucleophilic opening of electrophilic cyclopropanes [170], and the Kocienski reaction [171]. The chemistry of organocopper(II) species has rarely been studied experimentally [172-174], nor theoretically, save for some trapping experiments on the reaction of alkyl radicals with Cu(I) species in aqueous solution [175]. 

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