Olefinic Substitution Reactions

The general reactivity of higher a-olefins is similar to that observed for the lower olefins. However, heavier a-olefins have low solubihty in polar solvents such as water consequentiy, in reaction systems requiting the addition of polar reagents, apparent reactivity and degree of conversion maybe adversely affected. Reactions of a-olefins typically involve the carbon—carbon double bond and can be grouped into two classes (/) electrophilic or free-radical additions and (2) substitution reactions. 

Fluorocylatwn of enarnines and enamides has been intensively studied by different groups [78, 79, 80 SI] The effectiveness of this particular electrophilic substitution reaction becomes obvious when the nitrogen atom of the enamine moiety is engaged in an aromatic system [82 S3] or when the olefinic system is part of an aromatic nucleus [84] (equations 37 and 38) A further extension of this reaction is demonstrated by the tnfluoracetylation of aldehyde dialkyl hydrazones [S5 86] (equation 39)... 

The allylic position of olefins is subject to attack by free radicals with the consequent formation of stable allylic free radicals. This fact is utilized in many substitution reactions at the allylic position (cf. Chapter 6, Section III). The procedure given here employs f-butyl perbenzoate, which reacts with cuprous ion to liberate /-butoxy radical, the chain reaction initiator. The outcome of the reaction, which has general applicability, is the introduction of a benzoyloxy group in the allylic position. 

The chemical reactions of benzene and all aromatic compounds, with few exceptions, are unlike those of unsaturated aliphatic compounds (olefins) that is, addition reactions do not occur. Instead, the hydrogens on the ring are replaced by other atoms or groups of atoms. The aromatic ring remains unchanged by these substitution reactions. All six of the hydrogens in benzene can be replaced by other atoms. 

Introduction of a double bond between the triple bond and the leaving group leads to enyne electrophiles 45, which would give access to vinylallenes 46 if the attack of the nucleophile takes place at the triple bond in an SN2" (1,5) substitution reaction (Scheme 2.16). In addition to the regioselectivity, two types of stereoselectivity also have to be considered in this transformation, i.e. the configuration of the olefinic double bond of the vinylallene and the (relative or absolute) configuration of the allenic chirality axis. 

Nucleophilic substitution reactions of halide anions in aprotic solvents are often accompanied by elimination reactions. For instance, reactions of secondary alkyl halides with potassium fluoride solubilized in acetonitrile with the aid of 18-crown-6 [3] give olefins as the main reaction product (Liotta and Harris, 1974). Similarly, the dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6 complex of potassium iodide acted exclusively as a base in its reaction with 2-bromo-octane in DMF (Sam and Simmons, 1974). The strongly basic character of weakly solvated fluoride has been exploited in peptide synthesis (Klausner and Chorev, 1977 Chorev and Klausner, 1976). It was shown that potassium fluoride solubilized... 

Markovic and Hartwig isolated and characterized the first intermediate in iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution [100]. They isolated the metalacyclic iridium-phosphor-amidite fragment containing COD and the olefinic portion ofN- l -phenylallyl)aniline, the product of the allylic substitution reaction between cinnamyl carbonate and aniline (5 in Scheme 22). This complex containing the product of allylic substitution was first detected by NMR spectroscopy during catalytic reactions. It was then isolated, prepared independently, and shown to be chemically and kinetically competent to be an intermediate in allylic substitutions. 

Scheme 17 Radical addition to aUcenes versus radical olefin addition-aromatic substitution reaction.

Another type of Cinchona alkaloid catalyzed reactions that employs azodicarbo-xylates includes enantioselective allylic amination. Jprgensen [51-53] investigated the enantioselective electrophilic addition to aUyhc C-H bonds activated by a chiral Brpnsted base. Using Cinchona alkaloids, the first enantioselective, metal-free aUyhc amination was reported using alkylidene cyanoacetates with dialkyl azodi-carboxylates (Scheme 12). The product was further functionalized and used in subsequent tandem reactions to generate useful chiral building blocks (52, 53). Subsequent work was applied to other types of allylic nitriles in the addition to a,P-unsaturated aldehydes and P-substituted nitro-olefins (Scheme 13). 

Wang and co-workers [57,58] reported several Michael-type enantioselective additions with nitro-olefins. Under neat conditions, 1,3-dinitro compounds were generated in the 74 addition of nitroalkanes 75 to various P-substituted nitro-olefins (Scheme 15). Other Michael-type involving nitro-olefins reactions were illustrated using triazole donors 77 to offer good yields and high enantioselectivities (Scheme 16). 

These reactions involve metallate rearrangements , migratory insertion and transition metal-catalysed vinylic substitution reactions. They also perform well in applications in natural product synthesis . Many useful synthetic possibilities arise from application of ring-closing olefin metathesis (RCM) to unsaturated homoaldol products and their derivatives by means of the Grubbs catalyst 3942 4-286 Equation 105 presents some examples. ... 

With electron-rich olefins, the rate of addition to a second thione is faster than that of the combination of the intermediate diradical to thietane. By substituting these olefins, however, with groups that provide steric hindrance, the reaction of the diradical with another thione molecule can be inhibited. Irradiation of thiobenzophenone and 1,3-cyclooctadiene, propenylbenzene. 

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