Reactions with dienes transition metal catalysis

ABSTRACT The review covers particularly the synthesis of fine chemicals via the formation of C-C bonds between carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons. In the reactions of CO2 with alkenes, dienes and alkynes a great number of carboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, esters, lactones and pyrones are formed, whether in stoichiometric or catalytic reactions. In each chapter the reactions are considered in the order of the transition metals applied. In addition, some syntheses will be mentioned which are closely related to transition metal catalysis, for instance the electrocarboxylation ofolefinic hydrocarbons. 

The same transition metal systems which activate alkenes, alkadienes and alkynes to undergo nucleophilic attack by heteroatom nucleophiles also promote the reaction of carbon nucleophiles with these unsaturated compounds, and most of the chemistry in Scheme 1 in Section 3.1.2 of this volume is also applicable in these systems. However two additional problems which seriously limit the synthetic utility of these reactions are encountered with carbon nucleophiles. Most carbanions arc strong reducing agents, while many electrophilic metals such as palladium(II) are readily reduced. Thus, oxidative coupling of the carbanion, with concomitant reduction of the metal, is often encountered when carbon nucleophiles arc studied. In addition, catalytic cycles invariably require reoxidation of the metal used to activate the alkene [usually palladium(II)]. Since carbanions are more readily oxidized than are the metals used, catalysis of alkene, diene and alkyne alkylation has rarely been achieved. Thus, virtually all of the reactions discussed below require stoichiometric quantities of the transition metal, and are practical only when the ease of the transformation or the value of the product overcomes the inherent cost of using large amounts of often expensive transition metals. 

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