Organozinc compounds addition reactions

The organozinc compound 2 is less reactive than an organomagnesium compound the addition to an ester carbonyl group is much slower than the addition to an aldehyde or ketone. Nevertheless the addition of 2 to the carbonyl group of unreacted a-halo ester 1 is the most frequently observed side-reaction ... 

Because of the separation of this chapter into fundamental synthetic and structural aspects of organozinc compounds and the applications of these compounds in organic synthesis, many topics are treated twice, but with decidedly different emphases. By way of example, the important organozinc alkoxides are covered first in the inorganometallic section, where the emphasis is on their syntheses, structures, and applications other than in organic synthesis. Later, in Section 2.06.16.2, the uses of such compounds as chiral catalysts in asymmetric addition reactions are discussed. 

Perhaps the most investigated reaction of organozinc compounds is their addition to the carbonyl group of aldehydes. A broad range of simple and functionalized diorganozincs and a great variety of aldehydes have been studied in this transformation. The reaction furnishes chiral secondary alcohols, which are essential building blocks in the synthesis of natural products and other important compounds. Recent studies of this transformation have been devoted to its asymmetric catalytic versions (Scheme 103). 

One of the important new directions in the study of addition reactions of organozinc compounds to aldehydes is the use of ionic liquids. Usually, application of these compounds in reactions with common organometallic reagents has a serious problem ionic solvents are usually reactive toward them, particularly Grignard and organolithium derivatives. It has been recently reported that carbonyl compounds react with allylzinc bromide formed in situ from allyl bromide and zinc in the ionic liquid 3-butyl-l-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [bmim][BF4].285 Another important finding is that the more reactive ZnEt2 alkylates aldehydes in a number of ionic liquids at room temperature.286 The best yields (up to 96%) were obtained in A-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate, [bpy][BF4] (Scheme 107). 

Other examples of ZnR2-initiated radical additions to C=N bond-containing compounds can be found in a recent review by Miyabe et al 7 Overall, radical additions to imines and related derivatives may be considered as a valuable alternative to nucleophilic additions, particularly for the introduction of secondary and tertiary alkyl groups. In general, organozinc-mediated radical reactions are a new and significant direction with great potential.382,385... 

Feringa and co-workers described the tandem addition-aldol cyclization protocol leading to the formation of 6,6-, 6,7-, and 6,8-annulated bicyclic systems (Scheme 68).39 Using Cu(n)-29 as catalyst and functionalized organozinc reagents as nucleophiles, the conjugate addition reaction followed by aldol cyclization can offer highly enantioselec-tive annulation products (up to 98% ee). This method can be used in the synthesis of carbocyclic compounds, such as steroids, terpenes, and other natural products. 

Functionalized organozinc halides are best prepared by direct insertion of zinc dust into alkyl iodides. The insertion reaction is usually performed by addition of a concentrated solution (approx. 3 M) of the alkyl iodide in THF to a suspension of zinc dust activated with a few mol% of 1,2-dibromoethane and MeaSiCl [7]. Primary alkyl iodides react at 40 °C under these conditions, whereas secondary alkyl iodides undergo the zinc insertion process even at room temperature, while allylic bromides and benzylic bromides react under still milder conditions (0 °C to 10 °C). The amount of Wurtz homocoupling products is usually limited, but increases with increased electron density in benzylic or allylic moieties [45]. A range of poly-functional organozinc compounds, such as 69-72, can be prepared under these conditions (Scheme 2.23) [41]. 

There are a large number of reports on copper(I)-catalyzed conjugate additions, yet there is only scant information available about their reaction mechanisms. Recently, the conjugate addition of organozinc compounds to enones was found by Kitamura, Noyori, et al. to be catalyzed by N-benzylbenzenesulfonamide and CuCN, and the mechanism was scrutinized (Fig. 10.1). The kinetic rate was found to be first order in the concentrations of the catalyst that exist in equilibrium with R2Zn and enone [77]. 

Until fairly recently, little was known of the stmcmres and properties of the organozinc compounds occurring as intermediates in varions reactions. Interestingly, the complexforming ability of organozinc componnds had already been recognized very early. In 1858, Wanklyn reported the formation of the ionic sodium triethylzinc complex. One year later, Frankland observed that the formation of dimethylzinc from methyl iodide and zinc was accelerated by the addition of dimethyl ether or diethyl ether. It appeared that separation of the dimethylzinc from the ether was impossible, bnt it lasted nntil 1962 when it was established that dimethylzinc and dimethyl ether form a 1 1 complex in solntion, which is appreciably dissociated in the vaponr phase. ... 

The Pd-catalyzed acylation of organozincs was reported in 1983144, and it has since been widely employed as one of the most satisfactory methods of acylation of organometals20. Even in cases where ,/J-unsaturated carbonyl compounds are the products, their subsequent conjugate addition reactions do not appear to be competitive. Among recent examples of its application to the synthesis of natural products, the synthesis of amphidi-nolides Tl, , T4 and T5 by Fiirstner and coworkers213 is particularly noteworthy (Scheme 81). 

RX, thus affording the corresponding RNiX compounds. In the presence of zinc(II) ions, this intermediate would undergo a transmetallation reaction to produce the organozinc compound RZnX. Note that zinc(II) ions can be brought either by addition of a zinc salt (ZnBr2 or ZnCl2) in the solution or by oxidation of a zinc anode. 

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