Reformatsky reaction chemoselectivity

The 1,4-conjugate addition of ester enolates to a, 3-enones was first reported by Kohler in 1910,138a c as an anomalous Reformatsky reaction, but chemoselectivity was dependent on the structure of the a,(3-enone and restricted to bromozinc enolates obtained from either a-bromoisobutyrate or bromomalonate esters (Scheme 66).138d,e Further evaluation, with lithio ester enolates and lithio amide enolate additions, has resulted in identification of four factors that affect the chemoselectivity and diastereoselectivity of additions to a, 3-enones.139 These factors are (a) enolate geometry, (b) acceptor geometry, (c) steric bulk of the -substituent on the acceptor enone and (d) reaction conditions. In general, under kinetic reaction conditions (-78 °C), ( )-ester enolates afford preferential 1,2-addition products while (Z)-ester enolates afford substantial amounts of 1,4-addition products however, 1,2 to 1,4 equilibration occurs at 25 C in the presence of HMPA. The stereostructure of the 1,4-adducts is dependent on the initial enolate structure for example, with ( )-enones, (Z)-ester enolates afford anti adducts, while (E)-ester enolates afford syn adducts (Scheme 54). In contrast, amide enolates show a modest preference for anti diastereomer formation. 

L. Wessjohn and co-workers successfully applied the CrCl2-mediated Reformatsky reaction for the synthesis of C1-C6 fragment of epothilones. In their approach, they utilized the Evans (R)-4-benzyl-oxazolidinone chiral auxiliary to control the absolute stereochemistry. The chromium-Re/brmafsAy reaction between the (R)-4-benzyl-3-(2-bromoacetyl)-oxazolidinone and 2,2-dimethyl-3-oxo-pentanal occurred with complete chemoselection providing the product with 63% yield and as a single diastereomer. 

Boyer, N. Gloanec, R De Nanteuil, G. Jubault, R Quirion, J.-C. Chemoselective and stereoselective synthesis of gcm-difluoro-P-aminoesters or gcm-difluoro-P-lactams from ethyl bromodifluoroacetate and imines during Reformatsky reaction. Tetrahedron 2007, 65(50), 12352-12366. 

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