Steric shielding, carbene carbon

In alkenyl- and alkynylcarbene complexes the addition of nucleophiles to the carbene carbon competes with the addition to the 3-carbon of the conjugated C-C multiple bond. [17] The regioselectivity of the addition of amines to alkynylcarbene complexes is temperature dependent 1,2-addition is favoured by lower temperatures. [17c] Enolates turned out to be efficient C-nucleophiles for Michael addition reactions to unsaturated metal carbenes. The product distribution may depend on steric factors as shown in Scheme 7 for the addition of different enolates to alkenylcarbene complex 10. The less bulky acetone enolate 11 adds to the carbene carbon protonation of the primary addition product results in demetalation and in the formation of a mixture of isomeric enones 12. In contrast, the more bulky cyclopentanone enolate 13 adds to the less shielded vinylic position. 

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