Transition metal-catalyzed decomposition

The strained bicyclic carbapenem framework of thienamycin is the host of three contiguous stereocenters and several heteroatoms (Scheme 1). Removal of the cysteamine side chain affixed to C-2 furnishes /J-keto ester 2 as a possible precursor. The intermolecular attack upon the keto function in 2 by a suitable thiol nucleophile could result in the formation of the natural product after dehydration of the initial tetrahedral adduct. In a most interesting and productive retrosynthetic maneuver, intermediate 2 could be traced in one step to a-diazo keto ester 4. It is important to recognize that diazo compounds, such as 4, are viable precursors to electron-deficient carbenes. In the synthetic direction, transition metal catalyzed decomposition of diazo keto ester 4 could conceivably furnish electron-deficient carbene 3 the intermediacy of 3 is expected to be brief, for it should readily insert into the proximal N-H bond to... 

The diazo function in compound 4 can be regarded as a latent carbene. Transition metal catalyzed decomposition of a diazo keto ester, such as 4, could conceivably lead to the formation of an electron-deficient carbene (see intermediate 3) which could then insert into the proximal N-H bond. If successful, this attractive transition metal induced ring closure would accomplish the formation of the targeted carbapenem bicyclic nucleus. Support for this idea came from a model study12 in which the Merck group found that rhodi-um(n) acetate is particularly well suited as a catalyst for the carbe-noid-mediated cyclization of a diazo azetidinone closely related to 4. Indeed, when a solution of intermediate 4 in either benzene or toluene is heated to 80 °C in the presence of a catalytic amount of rhodium(n) acetate (substrate catalyst, ca. 1000 1), the processes... 

The transition-metal catalyzed decomposition of thiirene dioxides has been also investigated primarily via kinetic studies103. Zerovalent platinum and palladium complexes and monovalent iridium and rhodium complexes were found to affect this process, whereas divalent platinum and palladium had no effect. The kinetic data suggested the mechanism in equation 7. 

Transition metal catalyzed decomposition of diazoester 64b, which is available from 64a with TsNj/base, results in the formation of furo[3,4-b]indole 65. This intermediate is trapped intramolecularly in situ to give 66. Furo[3,4-b]indoles of type 67 can be prepared similarly... 

Muller et al. have also examined the enantioselectivity and the stereochemical course of copper-catalyzed intramolecular CH insertions of phenyl-iodonium ylides [34]. The decomposition of diazo compounds in the presence of transition metals leads to typical reactions for metal-carbenoid intermediates, such as cyclopropanations, insertions into X - H bonds, and formation of ylides with heteroatoms that have available lone pairs. Since diazo compounds are potentially explosive, toxic, and carcinogenic, the number of industrial applications is limited. Phenyliodonium ylides are potential substitutes for diazo compounds in metal-carbenoid reactions. Their photochemical, thermal, and transition-metal-catalyzed decompositions exhibit some similarities to those of diazo compounds. 

Maas, G. Transition-metal Catalyzed Decomposition of Aliphatic Diazo Compounds — New Results and Applications in Organic Synthesis, 137, 75-253 (1986). 

Using a Cu(n)-catalyzed reaction of 2-(4-diazo-3-oxoalkyl)pyridines 225, tetrahydroquinolizinium ylides 226 were obtained in high yields. This transition metal-catalyzed decomposition was found to be superior to that promoted by... 

Transition-metal Catalyzed Decomposition of Aliphatic Diazo Compounds... 

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