Reaction mechanisms organocopper compounds

FIGURE 15.49 Mechanism of reaction of organocopper compounds with acyl halides. 

Hie present challenge for scientists is to use modern spectroscopic techniques fsuch as NMR, in situ IR, in situ EXAFS, and otliers already available, or which w ill become available in the near future) in combination with advanced theoretical calculations to obtain new insights into the actual mechanisms and species tliat play roles in reactions of wed known organocopper and cuprate compounds. 

An analogous mechanism was proposed for the conversion of the triflate 416 to the vinyl-, allyl- and allenyl-A2-cephems 448 in yields of 47-71% by the respective tributyltin compounds in the presence of cuprous chloride (Scheme 6.91) [176]. Accordingly, the cyclic allene 417 should be liberated from 416 in the first step. Then, the organocopper species would transfer a hydrocarbon group to the central allene carbon atom of 417, leading to an allyl anion derivative, which is protonated during the workup. These reactions of 416 and 443 indicate that the cyclic allenes 417 and 444 behave toward nucleophiles as 1,2-cyclohexadiene (6) (Schemes 6.11— 13) and its non-polar derivatives such as 215 (Scheme 6.51), 221 (Scheme 6.52), 311 (Scheme 6.67) and 333 (Schemes 6.71 and 6.73), that is, they interact with nucleophiles at the central carbon atom of the allene system exclusively. 

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]. 

An organocopper intermediate was detected by Lewin and Cohen in the reaction of / -iodotoluene with copper in a good complexing solvent (184). Analysis of protonated aliquots from a reaction performed in quinoline indicated an accumulation of />-tolylcopper to a maximum of 43% after 95 hours, at which point the iodide was consumed, and then a slow decrease to by dimerization. Other experiments also indicate the formation of an arylcopper compound in Ullmann reactions (127,141, 210). The isolation of deuterated products, presumably from the decomposition of an intermediate organocopper species in deuterated benzene and cyclohexane, suggested decomposition to free radicals (127). Decompositions of certain o-haloarylcopper intermediates by a benzyne mechanism cannot be totally excluded. The formation of a dichlorobenzene and by-products such as dibenzofuran and triphenylene from only the ortho isomer of the chloroiodobenzenes in Ullmann coupling reactions (210)... 

A cyclopentadienylcopper-fcr/-butyl isocyanide complex catalyzes the Michael addition of dimethyl methylmalonate to acrylonitrile at room temperature to give an S6% yield of the adduct 249). As the CU2O—BNC complex can also catalyze the addition of indene to methyl acrylate, the intermediate is most likely an organocopper complex. The reactions and kinetic data support the mechanism given by Eq. (118) to (120), involving metalation and nucleophilic attack by the carbanion on the olefin within the complex. Displacement of a solvent ligand by the olefin and coordination of the latter to the copper species are essential features of the mechanism. The rate of reaction is decreased if the compound with the... 

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