The Michael Addition

The scope of the reaction has been greatly broadened to include the conjugate 

4-addition of many anions or nucleophiles (e. g. malonates, cyanoacetates, acetoacetates, other -ketoesters, and compounds of the form Z-CH, Z-CH2R, including carboxylic esters, ketones, aldehydes, nitriles, nitro compounds, sulfones) to many a,/5-olefinic or acetylenic ketones, aldehydes, esters, and nitro compounds, etc, in which the anion analogous to enolate ion can be similarly stabilized. 

One important characteristic of the Michael addition reaction is that when the donor and acceptor contain suitably different substituents, one or two new chiral centers can be created, producing one or two pairs of enantiomers. When, on the other hand, either or both of the reactants has a chiral substituent, the reaction can be enantioselective. Enantioselective addition has also been achieved by use of chiral catalysts [2], Indeed, it is interesting to remark that in recent years much attention has been devoted to catalytic asymmetric Michael reactions because of the importance of the products as optically active intermediates for many functional compounds [30] many types of chiral catalyst have been reported [31], 

Together with the Knoevenagel condensation, Michael additions constitute a powerful tool for the synthetic chemist, with numerous applications in many fields such as pharmaceuticals [32], perfumes [33], herbicides [34], polymers [35], dispersant agents [36], and anionic surfactants [37], etc. 

Traditionally, the Michael reaction is catalyzed by mild to moderately strong bases such as potassium t-butoxide, diisopropylamine [38], and tetramethylguani-dine [39] as homogeneous catalysts. The main disadvantages of this type of catalyst are the production of significant amounts of multiple Michael adducts, which are difficult to separate, and problems associated with catalyst recovery. These problems, plus recent interest in environmentally friendly solid catalysts, has led to the development of heterogeneous catalytic systems for this reaction. Examples of heterogeneous catalysts are those based on CsF and KF on alumina 

---

Figure 10.3-30. The retrosynthetic point of view the transform of a Michael addition. The structure fragment with a gray background is the retron of the Michael addition transforin.

The Michael Addition Reaction consists in the addition of the sodio-derivative of ethyl acetoacetate, ethyl malonate or ethyl cyanoacetate to an olefine group... 

In the above reaction one molecular proportion of sodium ethoxide is employed this is Michael s original method for conducting the reaction, which is reversible and particularly so under these conditions, and in certain circumstances may lead to apparently abnormal results. With smaller amounts of sodium alkoxide (1/5 mol or so the so-called catal3rtic method) or in the presence of secondary amines, the equilibrium is usually more on the side of the adduct, and good yields of adducts are frequently obtained. An example of the Michael addition of the latter type is to be found in the formation of ethyl propane-1 1 3 3 tetracarboxylate (II) from formaldehyde and ethyl malonate in the presence of diethylamine. Ethyl methylene-malonate (I) is formed intermediately by the simple Knoevenagel reaction and this Is followed by the Michael addition. Acid hydrolysis of (II) gives glutaric acid (III). 

Stabilizing the resulting enolate of the Michael Addition product can shift the equilibrium as in the case of the vinyl silane shown below... 

Synthesis All by standard steps. Though the Michael addition on A could in the ciy occur at either double bond, the unsubstituted position out of the ring is much more reactive than the disubstituted position in the ring and only the wanted reaction occurs. Bull. Soc. Chim. France. 1955, 8. 

The Michael reaction is of central importance here. This reaction is a vinylogous aldol addition, and most facts, which have been discussed in section 1.10, also apply here the reaction is catalyzed by acids and by bases, and it may be made regioselective by the choice of appropriate enol derivatives. Stereoselectivity is also observed in reactions with cyclic educts. An important difference to the aldol addition is, that the Michael addition is usually less prone to sterical hindrance. This is evidenced by the two examples given below, in which cyclic 1,3-diketones add to o, -unsaturated carbonyl compounds (K. Hiroi, 1975 H, Smith, 1964). 

Torgov introduced an important variation of the Michael addition allylic alcohols are used as vinylogous a -synthons and 1,3-dioxo compounds as d -reagents (S.N. Ananchenko, 1962, 1963 H. Smith, 1964 C. Rufer) 1967). Mild reaction conditions have been successful in the addition of ],3-dioxo compounds to vinyl ketones. Potassium fluoride can act as weakly basic, non-nudeophilic catalyst in such Michael additions under essentially non-acidic and non-basic conditions (Y. Kitabara, 1964). 

The synthesis of spiro compounds from ketones and methoxyethynyl propenyl ketone exemplifies some regioselectivities of the Michael addition. The electrophilic triple bond is attacked first, next comes the 1-propenyl group. The conjugated keto group is usually least reactive. The ethynyl starting material has been obtained from the addition of the methoxyethynyl anion to the carbonyl group of crotonaldehyde (G. Stork, 1962 B, 1964A). 

Acetoxy-l,7-octadiene (40) is converted into l,7-octadien-3-one (124) by hydrolysis and oxidation. The most useful application of this enone 124 is bisannulation to form two fused six-membered ketonesfl 13], The Michael addition of 2-methyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione (125) to 124 and asymmetric aldol condensation using (5)-phenylalanine afford the optically active diketone 126. The terminal alkene is oxidi2ed with PdCl2-CuCl2-02 to give the methyl ketone 127 in 77% yield. Finally, reduction of the double bond and aldol condensation produce the important intermediate 128 of steroid synthesis in optically pure form[114]. 

Oxidative dimerization of various 2-benzyloxy-2-thiazoline-5-ones (222) catalyzed by iodine and triethylamine is another example of the nucleophilic reactivity of the C-4 atom (469) (Scheme 112). Treatment of 212 with pyrrolidinocyclohexene yields the amide (223) (Scheme 113). The mechanism given for the formation of 223 is proposed by analogy with the reactivitx of oxazolones with enamines (4701. 4-Substituted 2-phenylthiazol-5(4Hi-ones react with A -morphoiino-l-cyclohexene in a similar manner (562j. Recently. Barret and Walker have studied the Michael addition products... 

The versatility of this reaction is extended to a variety of aldehydes. The bisphenol derived from 2,6-di-/ f2 -butylphenol and furfural, (25) where R = furfuryl (13), is also used as an antioxidant. The utility of the 3,5-di-/ f2 -butyl-4-hydroxyben2yl moiety is evident in stabili2ets of all types (14), and its effectiveness has spurred investigations of derivatives of hindered alkylphenols to achieve better stahi1i2ing quaUties. Another example is the Michael addition of 2,6-di-/ f2 -butyl phenol to methyl acrylate. This reaction is carried out under basic conditions and yields methyl... 

A large number of hindered phenoHc antioxidants are based on the Michael addition of 2,6-di-/ f2 -butylphenol and methyl acrylate under basic catalysis to yield the hydrocinnamate which is a basic building block used in the production of octadecyl 3-(3,5-di-/ f2 butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate, [2082-79-3], tetrakis(methylene-3(3,5-di-/ f2 butyl-4-hydroxylphenyl)propionate)methane [6683-19-8], and many others (63,64). These hindered phenolic antioxidants are the most widely used primary stabilizers in the world and are used in polyolefins, synthetic and natural mbber, styrenics, vinyl polymers, and engineering resins. 2,6-Di-/ f2 -butylphenol is converted to a methylene isocyanate which is trimerized to a triazine derivative... 

A number of BMI resias based on this chemistry became commercially available through Rhc ne Poulenc for appHcation ia priated circuit boards and mol ding compounds and Rhc ne Poulenc recognized the potential of bismaleimides as building blocks for temperature-resistant thermoset systems. The basic chemistry, however, was not new, because the Michael addition reaction had been employed by Du Pont to obtain elastomeric reaction products from bismaleimides and Hquid polymeric organic diamines (15). 

Micha.elAdditions. The reaction of a bismaleimide with a functional nucleophile (diamine, bisthiol, etc) via the Michael addition reaction converts a BMI building block into a polymer. The non stoichiometric reaction of an aromatic diamine with a bismaleimide was used by Rhc )ne Poulenc to synthesize polyaminobismaleimides as shown in Figure 6 (31). 

The Michael addition reaction has attracted many researchers as a route to convert high melting BMI building blocks into resins with improved processibihty as compared with the BMI precursors. Heat-resistant resin compositions are prepared from BMI and para- or y /i7-aminophenol (38). The idealized stmcture of such a BMI—y -aminophenol adduct follows. 

An interesting approach to thermosetting acetylene-terminated polyimides via the Michael addition reaction has appeared (38). Acetylene-terminated aspartimides are readily prepared ia high yield via two routes, shown ia Figure 7. 

The Michael addition of nucleophiles to the carbon—carbon double bond of maleimide has been exploited ia the synthesis of a variety of linear polymers through reaction of bismaleimide with bisthiols (39). This method has been used to synthesize ethynyl-terminated imidothioether from the reaction of 4,4 -dimercaptodiphenyl ether [17527-79-6] and A/-(3-ethynylphenyl)maleimide (40). The chemical stmcture of this Michael addition imide thermoset is as follows ... 

The Michael addition reaction of amines and thiols with bismaleimides or functionalized monomaleimides is a versatile tool ia the synthesis of chain-extended maleimide-terroinated prepolymers. These prepolymers generally are soluble ia organic solvents from which they can be processed to prepreg and molded to high quaUty, void-free laminates. 

BMI was also used as a crosslinking agent for poly(iminoethylene). The Michael addition takes place with the nucleophilic nitrogen of the imino group and the double bonds of the electrophilic BMI. The Michael addition of BMI is now adopted as a crosslinking reaction for polymers with amino end groups [2]. 

Maleimides have three principal reaction pathways. These are radical addition to vinyl compounds the Michael addition with compounds having active hydrogens and the Diels-Alder reaction with dienes (Fig. 3). Any of the three can be tools for forming thermosetting adhesives. 

A typical maleimide resin is synthesized by the Michael addition of MDA and BMI (Fig. 4). If the stoichiometrically equal amounts of MDA and BMI are added into the reaction solvent under controlled temperature, linear, high molecular weight polyaminoimide (PAI) results. To obtain crosslinkable oligomer (pre-polymer) with maleimide end groups, a calculated 1.1-1.8 times an excess... 

As already mentioned, aromatie polymers are thermally stable but aliphatic portions of them are not as thermally stable. Typical maleimide resins have aliphatic units. This is inevitable because the Michael addition was used to prepare the maleimide-based oligomers. On the other hand, if an adhesive consists of a linear thermoplastic polymer, it is not usable at temperatures above its softening temperature. Introdueing chemical crosslinking is one way to prevent thermal weakening of a material. 

A reaction related to the Michael addition reactions of enamines to unsaturated esters, which leads to S-ketoesters, is the reaction with 1-carb-ethoxy-l-cyanocyclopropane (318). This gives access to ketones substituted with the next higher homologous acid chain. 

Once formed, 7 and 8 undergo a Michael reaction that gives rise to ketoenamine 9. Ring closure, to form 10, and loss of water then afforded 1,4-dihydropyridine 11. The presence of 9 and 10 could not be detected thus ring closure and dehydration were deduced to proceed faster than the Michael addition. This has the result of making the Michael addition the rate-determining step in this sequence. Conversely, if the reaction is run in the presence of a small amount of diethylamine, compounds related to 10 could be isolated. Diol 20 has been isolated in an unique case (R = CFb). Attempts to dehydrate this compound under a variety of conditions were unsuccessful. Stereoelectronic effects related to the dehydration may be the cause. In related heterocyclic ring formations, it has been determined that dehydration (20 —> 10) is about 10 times slower than diol formation (19 —> 20). Therefore, one would expect 20 to... 

From a mechanistic standpoint, ammonia serves two functions 1) it behaves as a base to catalyze an aldol reaction between 2 equivalents of 31 to generate the corresponding enal 33, and 2) it is the source of nitrogen for the resultant pyridyl ring. This occurs through formation of enamine 34 with a third equivalent of 31. The Michael addition of 34 to 33 followed by cyclization gives rise to 32. 

Bohlmann and Rahtz, in 1957, reported the preparation of 2,3,6-trisubstituted pyridines. Their method employed the Michael addition of acetylenic ketones 35 with enamines 36. The 5-aminoketones 37 are typically isolated and subsequently heated at temperatures greater than 120°C to facilitate the cyclodehydration to afford 38. Again one can see the parallels in this mechanism with that for the Hantzsch protocol. However, in this case the pyridine is formed directly removing the need for the oxidation step in the Hantzsch procedure. 

Compound 68 can also be obtained by an acid-catalyzed cyclization of 42, which was prepared by the Michael addition reaction of 39 to mesityl oxide as shown in Section IV.A. As for the product 69, the presence of the tosyloxy group at the 5 position instead of the 6 position is determined, utilizing the anisotropy effect of the 1-acetyl group to the C-7 proton, by comparing its H NMR spectrum with that of 70, obtained in 69% yield by the treatment of 69 with NaH and AcCl. 

Recently, the Michael addition of the optically active Q ,y-disubstituted tetronic acids 146c,e with a variety of Q ,/3-unsaturated aldehydes, ketones, esters, and nitriles was studied (Scheme 53) (99H1321). 

As shown above, it was not so easy to optimize the Michael addition reactions of l-crotonoyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole in the presence of the l ,J -DBFOX/ Ph-Ni(C104)2 3H20 catalyst because a simple tendency of influence to enantio-selectivity is lacking. Therefore, we changed the acceptor to 3-crotonoyl-2-oxazolidi-none in the reactions of malononitrile in dichloromethane in the presence of the nickel(II) aqua complex (10 mol%) (Scheme 7.49). For the Michael additions using the oxazolidinone acceptor, dichloromethane was better solvent than THF and the enantioselectivities were rather independent upon the reaction temperatures and Lewis base catalysts. Chemical yields were also satisfactory. 

Finally we have performed the Michael addition reactions of malononitrile and 3-(2-alkenoyl)-2-oxazolidinones in dichloromethane in the presence of the R,R-DBF0X/Ph-Ni(C104)2-31 20 and TMP (10 mol% each). Enantioselectivities were a little lower than 90% ee for acceptors having a variety of / -substituents. The best selectivity was 94% ee in the reaction of t-butyl-substituted acceptor (Scheme 7.50). 

The stereochemical outcome of the Michael addition reaction with substituted starting materials depends on the geometry of the a ,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compound as well as the enolate geometry a stereoselective synthesis is possible. " Diastereoselectivity can be achieved if both reactants contain a stereogenic center. The relations are similar to the aldol reaction, and for... 

With the use of chiral reagents a differentiation of enantiotopic faces is possible, leading to an enantioselective reaction. The stereoselective version of the Michael addition reaction can be a useful tool in organic synthesis, for instance in the synthesis of natural products. 

An interesting feature is the sometimes observed pressure dependence of the reaction. The Michael addition of dimethyl methylmalonate 12 to the bicyclic ketone 13 does not occur under atmospheric pressure, but can be achieved at 15 Kbar in 77% yield ... 

The best method to achieve a high regioselectivity is the use of preformed enolates. A double annulation reaction is possible if, for example, a diketone such as 11 is used as starting material. The product of the Michael addition 12 can undergo two subsequent aldol condensation reactions to yield the tricyclic dienone 13 ... 

Fusion of an all cyclic ring onto the piperidine so as to form a perhydroisoquinoline is apparently consistent with analgesic activity. Synthesis of this agent, ciprefadol (68), starts with the Michael addition of the anion from cyclohexanone 56 onto acrylonitrile (57). Saponification of the nitrile to the corresponding acid ( ) followed by Curtius rearrangement leads to isocyanate Acid... 

A fully unsaturated tricyclic indole derivative serves as the aromatic moiety for a nonsteroid antiinflammatory agent. Preparation of this compound starts with the Michael addition of the anion from methyl diethylmalonate to cyclohexanone. The product (32) is then hydrolyzed and decarboxylated to give ketoester 33. Fischer condensation with p-chlorophenylhydrazine leads to the indole This is then esterified (35) and dehydrogenated to the carbazole 36. Saponification leads... 

Asymmetric Michael addition of chiral enolates to nltroalkenes provides a useful method for the preparation of biologically important compotmds. The Michael addition of doubly deprotonated, optically active fi-hydroxycarboxylates to nltroalkenes proceeds v/ith high dias-tereoselecdvity to give fityr/iro-hydroxynitroesters fEq, 4,58, ... 

The Michael addition of enamines to nitroalkenes proceeds with high Yyn selectivity. The Yyn selectivity is explained by an acyclic synclinal model, in which there is some favorable interaction between the nitro group and the nitrogen lone pair of the enamine group CEq. 4.67i. Both Z- and E-nitrostyrenes afford the same product in over 90% diastereoselecdvity. 

The Michael addition of the copper-zinc reagent derived from ethyl 4-bromobntyrate to the plperonal-derived nitroalkene proceeds cleaniy to give the nitre ester, which is an intermediate for the synthesis of lycoricidine alkaloids fEq. 4.85. ... 

---