Reformatsky reagent preparation

Improvement to the Reformatsky reactions was achieved (53) by the use of a highly activated zinc - silver couple dispersed on the surface of graphite. T reatment of protected aldono-1,4-lactones 10b or 25b and 1,5-lactones 51a or 51b with a Reformatsky reagent prepared from a-haloesters or alkyl 2-(bromomethyl)acrylates resulted in the formation of the corresponding 3-or 4-glyculofuranos (or pyranos)onates 49a,b-50a,b, or 52a,b, respectively, under mild conditions (— 40 ° to 00) and in very good yields. Ethyl 2-deoxy-2-fluoro (and 2-bromo)-a-D-wa o-3,6-furanos-3-octulosonate derivatives were also obtained. 

A synthesis of the monomeric unit 128 of a peptide nucleic acid analog (PNA) offers an example of stereospecific cross-coupling of a Reformatsky reagent with (Z)-vinylic iodide 126. The coupling reaction of the preformed Reformatsky reagent prepared in dimethoxymethane (methylal) with 126 is carried out using 8% of Pd(PPh3)4 in DMPU as the solvent at 65 °C to afford 127 (equation 70)161. 

Generation and functionalization of a a,a-difluoro Reformatsky reagent preparation of ethyl 2,2-difluoro-3-hydroxy-5-(tetrahydropyranyloxy)pentanoate27... 

Amino lactones. The Reformatsky reagent prepared from ethyl 2-bromo-propionate with Zn-Cu (8, 533) adds to azirines to form two isomeric products, which are converted to 4-amino lactones when treated with aqueous hydrochloric acid or HF-Py (5, 538, 6, 473). 

Addition of the Reformatsky reagent prepared from bromo ester 13 to imine 14 in benzene affords a 65% yield of trans jcis-fi-lactams 15 and 16 in 75 25 d.r. with trans-15 of d.r. [(3S,4R)/(3/f,4S)] 92 886. 

A similar allyl [91] or propargyl [92] Reformatsky reagent has been used to prepare fluormated homoallylic or homopropargylic alcohols, respectively [91, 92] (equations 60 and 61)... 

Alkylzinc halides have also been prepared under microwave irradiation. The Reformatsky reagents (2-t-butoxy-2-oxoethyl)zinc bromide and [(2-dibenzylamino)-2-oxoethyl]zinc bromide were synthesized from the corresponding bromides via reaction with zinc in THF (Scheme 5) [24], The oxidative addition was executed at 100 °C in 5 min. The obtained reagents were subsequently used in Negishi reactions on 2-bromopyridine, 3-bromopyridine, 2-bromo-5-nitropyridine, and 2-bromo-5-trifluoromethyl-pyridine using Pd(PPh3)4 as a catalyst (Scheme 5). 

Gemcitabine (Gemzar ) is prepared from the 2,2-difluoro-2-deoxyribose, itself available by the addition of the Reformatsky reagent of ethyl bromodifluoroace-tate on the (R)-2,3-0-isopropylidene glyceraldehyde. The condensation of the corresponding mesylate with di(trimethylsilyloxy)pyrimidine provides gemcitabine [93]. The control of the stereoselectivity of the Reformatsky reaction is difficult (Fig. 30) [95]. Other approaches involving the fluorination of D-pyranoses have been proposed (Fig. 31) [96]. 

Silylacetals of difluoroketene have an important synthetic potential and constitute an alternative to the Reformatsky reagent generated from ethyl bromodifluoroace-tate." They are prepared by reduction by a bromo-, iodo-di-, or trifluoroacetate in the presence of a trialky Isilylchloride. Despite the fact that they are difficult to prepare, they behave similar to their nonfluorinated analogues (aldolization reactions, conjugated addition, etc.) (Figure 2.27)." ... 

The te.te-difluoro Reformatsky reagent has been applied extensively to preparation of compounds containing the —CF2C(0)— group and its derivatives since this functionality often confers enhanced biological activity. Typical examples include the preparation of... 

Using l-(2-nitrovinyl)pyrrolidines 108 or 111 as Michael acceptors, the addition of the Reformatsky reagent is followed by amine elimination. A formal vinylic substitution ensues, which can take advantage of the presence of stereocenters in the pyrrolidine moiety, affording new chiral nitroolefins 110151 and 113152, as reported in equations 64 and 65, respectively. In both cases, zinc enolates 109 and 112 are prepared by lithia-tion/transmetallation of the parent ester. 

In 1984, Fried et al. reported the reaction of bromodifluoroacetate with carbonyl substrates in the presence of zinc. The a,a-difluoro /1-hydroxyester was obtained in good yield without isolation of the Reformatsky reagent [240, 241] (Scheme 80) Later, this zinc reagent has also been prepared via reaction of ethyl bromodifluoroacetate with zinc amalgam in triglyme [242] or reaction of methyl iododifluoroacetate with zinc in acetonitrile [243]. 

The acylpalladium is formed by CO insertion as the intermediate of the carbonylation. They can be prepared directly by the oxidative addition of acyl chlorides to Pd(0). Thus ketones can be prepared by the reaction of acyl halides with organozinc reagents and organostannanes. Benzoacetate (490) is obtained by the reaction of benzoyl chloride with the Reformatsky reagent 489 [243], The macrocyclic keto lactone 492 is obtained by intramolecular reaction of the alkenylstannane with acyl chloride in 491 [244]. 

The a,a-difluoro Reformatsky reagent has been applied extensively to the preparation of compounds containing the -CF2C(0)- group and its derivatives,2 since this functionality often confers enhanced biological activity. Typical examples include the preparation of selectively fluorinated thromboxane A2 analogues24 and the preparation of a difluoro-y-lactone intermediate which was subsequently converted to l-(2-deoxy-2,2-difluororibofuranosyl) pyrimidine nucleosides (Equation 4.10).25... 

The insight that zinc ester enolates can be prepared prior to the addition of the electrophile has largely expanded the scope of the Reformatsky reaction.1-3 Substrates such as azomethines that quaternize in the presence of a-halo-esters do react without incident under these two-step conditions.23 The same holds true for acyl halides which readily decompose on exposure to zinc dust, but react properly with preformed zinc ester enolates in the presence of catalytic amounts of Pd(0) complexes.24 Alkylations of Reformatsky reagents are usually difficult to achieve and proceed only with the most reactive agents such as methyl iodide or benzyl halides.25 However, zinc ester enolates can be cross-coupled with aryl- and alkenyl halides or -triflates, respectively, in the presence of transition metal catalysts in a Negishi-type reaction.26 Table 14.2 compiles a few selected examples of Reformatsky reactions with electrophiles other than aldehydes or ketones.27... 

An indium Reformatsky reagent has been prepared from 2-(chlorodifluoroacetyl)furan, which couples with aldehydes (Equation (84)).334 A similar Reformatsky-type reaction between some /3-aminovinyl chlorodifluoromethyl... 

---