Tris methyl lithium, synthesis

Methyl lithium and butyl lithium are widely used for the synthesis of other organolithium compounds. For example, lithium cyclopentadienides are generally prepared by the reaction of the cyclopentadiene with butyl lithium. In contrast, the amido-alkali metal compounds are becoming increasingly important in the synthesis of organoalkali metal compounds with the heavier alkali metals. For example, l,2,4-tris(trimethylsilyl)-l,3-cyclopentadiene reacts with potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide to form potassium l,2,4-tris(trimethylsilyl)cyclopentadienide. ... 

The synthesis, structures, and reactions of silicon-substituted alkyl derivatives of metals from groups 1, 2, and 3 have been recently reviewed. A diverse range of structures has been discovered with the alkali metals. More recently, some additional structures and an important discussion of structural trends observed among the silicon-substituted alkyl derivatives of the alkali metals have also been published. " Tris(trimethylsilyl)methyl lithium forms a solvent-free dimer, as well as several ate complexes in the presence of bases (THF or TMEDA). In the alkyl-bridged dimer of tris(trimethylsilyl)methyl lithium (2), there are interactions between the C-H bonds of the silyl ligand and the lithium atoms (3) (Li to C distances of 254.1(7) and 246.6(6) pm). ... 

An elegant, general method for the synthesis of 2-alkyl tetronic acids has been reported. Producing 66—87% overall yields, (he sequence employs the useful one carbon nucleophile tris(thiomethyl)methyl lithium (Scheme 13). Acetylacetone derivatives (73) are smoothly converted into 2-alkoxybutenolides (74) on treatment with toluene-p-sulphonic acid. ... 

SYNTHESIS The starting material 3,5-dimethoxy-4-bromobenzoic acid (made from the commercially available resorcinol by the action of methyl sulfate) was a white crystalline solid from aqueous EtOH with a mp of248-250 °C. Reaction with thionyl chloride produced 3,5-dimethoxy-4-bromobenzoyl chloride which was used as the crude solid product, mp 124-128 °C. This was reduced with tri-O-(t)-butoxy lithium aluminumhydride to produce 3,5-dimethoxy-4-bromobenzaldehyde which was recrystallized from aqueous MeOH and had a mp of 112-114 °C. Anal. (C9H9BrO,) C,H. This aldehyde, with nitroethane and anhydrous ammonium acetate in acetic acid, was converted to the nitrostyrene l-(3,5-dimethoxy-4-bromophenyl)-2-nitropropene, with a mp of 121-121.5 °C. Anal. (CnHl2BrN04) C,H,N. This was reducedat low temperature withjustone equivalent of LAH, to minimize reductive removal of the bromine atom. The product 3,5-dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine hydrochloride (4-BR-3,5-DMA) was isolated in a 37% yield and had a mp of 221-222 °C. Anal. (C,, H17BrClN02) C,H,N. 

One general method for acyl silane synthesis particularly successful for a-cyclopropyl examples (and even an a-cyclobutyl example) involves treatment of acid chlorides with lithium tetrakis(trimethylsilyl) aluminum or lithium methyl tris(trimethylsilyl) aluminium and cuprous cyanide (vide supra, Section III.A.3)77. For example, cyclopropyl acyl silane (23) was obtained in 89% yield by this process. Improved procedures use lithium t-butyldimethylsilyl cuprate78 and a dimethylphenylsilyl zinc cuprate species79,80 as reagents. 

Acetyl- and 5-formylisothiazoles are readily available from 5-lithioisothiazoles.71,102 However, 3-methyl-4-nitroisothiazole does not form a lithium derivative,72 and 4-formyl-3-methyl-4-nitro-isothiazole was prepared by reduction of the appropriate acid chloride with lithium tri-Lbutoxyaluminum hydride.140 A 5-formyl-4-hydroxy-isothiazole has been prepared by direct ring synthesis [Eq. (12)].29... 

A facile, one-pot synthesis of an alkylated tetrahydrofuranone intermediate was applied to the synthesis of a novel hexahydrofuro[3,4-6]furan derivative <83TL2335>. Reaction of methyl acrylate with methyl sodium benzilate in DMSO gave the intermediate 3-oxo ester carbanion, which was alkylated with allyl bromide to yield the tetrahydrofuranone derivative (408). Subsequent hydrolysis and decarboxylation of (408), followed by reduction with lithium tri-r-butoxyaluminum hydride gave compound (409), which with excess iodine and Na2C03 afforded an 85 15 mixture of the epimers (410a) and (410b) in 95% yield (Scheme 38). 

For the synthesis of (69), the enol ether (71) from the indanone (70) was carboxylated with COa-n-butyl-Iithium in THF at —70 C to yield (72). The methyl ester (73) was converted into (75) via the maleic anhydride adduct (74), essentially as described in earlier work. Lithium aluminium hydride reduction followed by oxidation with dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide afforded the aldehyde (76). This was condensed with excess (77) to yield a mixture of the diastereomers (78). Oxidation with chromium trioxide-pyridine in methylene dichloride gave (79), which could be converted into the diketone (80) by treatment with excess benzenesulphonylazide. The diketo-lactam (81) was prepared from (80) as described for the synthesis of the analogous intermediate used in the synthesis of napelline. Reduction of (81) with lithium tri-t butoxyaluminohydride gave the desired dihydroxy-lactam (82). Methylation of (82) with methyl iodide-sodium hydride gave (83). Reduction of this lactam to the amine (84) with lithium aluminium hydride, followed by oxidation with potassium permanganate in acetic acid, gave (69). 

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