Zinc nitronate

In general, copper-zinc compounds, unlike organolithium-derived organocopper reagents, undergo clean addition reactions to nitroolefins. After Michael addition, the resulting zinc nitronates can be oxidatively converted into polyfunctional ketones, such as 117 (Scheme 2.45) [96]. 

Addition reaction of zinc-copper reagents to nitro olefins is a versatile method for preparing polyfunctional nitroalkanes.20 A direct ozonolysis of the intermediate zinc nitronate furnishes the corresponding ketone (Nef-reaction).20... 

Nitrones react with zinc Reformatskii salts (77AP873,79T647) or with the anion of dimethyl malonate to generate 5-isoxazolidinones (Scheme 161) (76AP935). 

Zinc Catalysts for Reactions of Nitrones and Nitrile Oxides 235... 

The above described approach was extended to include the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of nitrones with allyl alcohol (Scheme 6.35) [78]. The zinc catalyst which is used in a stoichiometric amount is generated from allyl alcohol 45, Et2Zn, (R,J )-diisopropyltartrate (DIPT) and EtZnCl. Addition of the nitrone 52a leads to primarily tmns-53a which is obtained in a moderate yield, however, with high ee of up to 95%. Application of 52b as the nitrone in the reaction leads to higher yields of 53b (47-68%), high trans selectivities and up to 93% ee. Compared to other metal-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of... 

It should also be mentioned that in connection with the investigations on MgX2-BOX catalysts, Desimoni et al. also tested a Zn(C104)2-B0X catalyst for the 1,3-di-polar cycloaddition of a nitrone and acryloyloxazolidinone (see Scheme 6.17). Contrary to the magnesium catalysts, this zinc catalyst was exo selective as an 27 73 exojendo ratio was observed, and 84% ee of the exo isomer was obtained [51]. 

Zinc-tartrate complexes were applied for reactions of both nitrones and nitrile oxides with allyl alcohol and for both reaction types selectivities of more than 90% ee were obtained. Whereas the reactions of nitrones required a stoichiometric amount of the catalyst the nitrile oxide reactions could be performed in the presence of 20 mol% of the catalyst. This is the only example on a metal-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides. It should however be no-... 

The titanium(IV) chloride catalyzed addition of allylic silanes to (E)-(2-nitroethenyl)benzene affords y,<5-unsaturated nitronates which, on treatment with low valent titanium species [generated in situ from titanium(IV) and zinc], give y,<5-unsaturated nitriles. For example, [(Zs)-2-butenyl]-(dimethyl)phenylsilane underwent reaction with ( )-(2-nitroethenyl)benzene to give 3-methyl-2-phenyl-4-pentenenitrile in 65 % yield as a 3 1 mixture of diastereomers of unassigned configuration22. 

Clerici and Porta reported that phenyl, acetyl and methyl radicals add to the Ca atom of the iminium ion, PhN+Me=CHMe, formed in situ by the titanium-catalyzed condensation of /V-methylanilinc with acetaldehyde to give PhNMeCHMePh, PhNMeCHMeAc, and PhNMeCHMe2 in 80% overall yield.83 Recently, Miyabe and co-workers studied the addition of various alkyl radicals to imine derivatives. Alkyl radicals generated from alkyl iodide and triethylborane were added to imine derivatives such as oxime ethers, hydrazones, and nitrones in an aqueous medium.84 The reaction also proceeds on solid support.85 A-sulfonylimines are also effective under such reaction conditions.86 Indium is also effective as the mediator (Eq. 11.49).87 A tandem radical addition-cyclization reaction of oxime ether and hydrazone was also developed (Eq. 11.50).88 Li and co-workers reported the synthesis of a-amino acid derivatives and amines via the addition of simple alkyl halides to imines and enamides mediated by zinc in water (Eq. 11.51).89 The zinc-mediated radical reaction of the hydrazone bearing a chiral camphorsultam provided the corresponding alkylated products with good diastereoselectivities that can be converted into enantiomerically pure a-amino acids (Eq. 11.52).90... 

Asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of cyclic nitrones to crotonic acid derivatives bearing chiral auxiliaries in the presence of zinc iodide gives bicyclic isoxazolidines with high stereoselectivity (Eq. 8.51). The products are good precursors of (3-amino acids such as (+)sedridine.73 Many papers concerning 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrones to chiral alkenes have been reported, and they are well documented (see Ref. 63). 

A series of 3-substituted-2-isoxazoles are prepared by the following simple procedure in situ conversion of nitroalkane to the silyl nitronate is followed by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to produce the adduct, which undergoes thermal elimination during distillation to furnish the isoxazole (Eq. 8.74). 5 Isoxazoles are useful synthetic intermediates (discussed in the chapter on nitrile oxides Section 8.2.2). Furthermore, the nucleophilic addition to the C=N bond leads to new heterocyclic systems. For example, the addition of diallyl zinc to 5-aryl-4,5-dihydroi-soxazole occurs with high diastereoselectivity (Eq. 8.75).126 Numerous synthetic applications of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitronates are summarized in work by Torssell and coworker.63a... 

Nucleophilic addition of zinc-containing reagents to nitrones 398... 

Nitrones have a more reactive C=N bond toward nucleophilic addition compared to imines. In spite of this fact, there have been only a limited number of studies on the nucleophilic addition reactions of nitrones, particularly organometallic reagents.352-355 During the last decade, research related to reactions of nitrones with zinc-containing reagents was essentially focused on (i) dialkylzinc-assisted alkynylations356-358 and vinylations359 of nitrones, (ii) catalytic asymmetric nucleophilic additions to the C=N bond,360-364 and (iii) nitrone allylations by allylzinc halides.365,366... 

I. Condensation of N-Monosubstituted Hydroxylamines with Carbonyl Compounds Condensation of N -monosubstituted hydroxylamines with carbonyl compounds is used as a direct synthesis of many acyclic nitrones. The synthesis of hydroxylamines is being carried out in situ via reduction of nitro compounds with zinc powder in the presence of weak acids (NH4CI or AcOH) (14, 18, 132). The reaction kinetics of benzaldehyde with phenylhydroxylamine and the subsequent reaction sequence are shown in Scheme 2.21 (133). 

The reaction of nitrones with terminal alkynes proceeds in excellent yields and high purity, in the presence of stoichiometric quantities of diethylzinc and zinc triflate (219, 661-663). To optimize the process of diastereoselective addition of terminal alkynes to chiral nitrones, ZnCl2 and NEt3 in toluene were used. This reaction protocol is facile to perform, cost-effective and environmental friendly (664). 

Addition of allylic zinc bromides to nitrones, generated in situ from allylbro-mides and zinc powder in THF (670), allyltributylstannane (671) and lithiated allyl ferf-butyldimethylsilyl ether (672), proceeds regioselectively in good yields and is used to synthesize homoallyl hydroxylamines (Scheme 2.189). The latter were subjected to an iodo cyclization reaction (see Scheme 2.186). 

For example, the reaction of nitronates (123) with a zinc copper pair in ethanol followed by treatment of the intermediate with aqueous ammonium chloride a to give an equilibrium mixture of ketoximes (124) and their cyclic esters 125. Heating of this mixture b affords pyocoles (126). Successive treatment of nitronates (123) with boron trifluoride etherate and water c affords 1,4-diketones (127). Catalytic hydrogenation of acyl nitronates (123) over platinum dioxide d or 5% rhodium on aluminum oxide e gives a-hydroxypyrrolidines (128) or pyrrolidines 129, respectively. Finally, smooth dehydration of a-hydroxypyrrolidines (128) into pyrrolines (130f) can be performed. 

Complexes of nickel(II) or magnesium(II) with the chiral ligand DBFOX (Scheme 8) catalyze the DCR of nitrones with a-alkyl- and arylacroleins rendering preferentially the 5-carbaldehyde cycloadducts. However, the reactions with a-bromoacrolein catalyzed by the zinc(II) complex of the same ligand afford isoxazoline -carbaldehydes. The corresponding cobalt(II) complex is also active for the cycloaddition between cyclopenten-l-carbaldehyde and diphenylnitrone. 

One exception is the reaction of acetone oxime with divinyl ketone in the presence of an equimolar amount of zinc(II) bromide (162). Acetone oxime reacts with divinyl ketone on heating in THE at reflux, leading to both conjugate addition and nitrone cycloaddition, producing a 5 1 mixture of regioisomers with 8-oxa-l-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-4-one as the major isomer (Scheme 11.42). On the other hand, in the presence of an equimolar amount of zinc(II) bromide, 7-oxa-l-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-4-one is the major isomer (97 3) in a total yield of 97%, indicating that the Lewis acid has controlled the regioselectivity of the second step, namely, the cycloaddition. 

The magnesium ion-mediated nitrone cycloadditions of an a,y-disubstituted allyl alcohol are stereoselective, and show opposite regioselectivity to that observed when zinc-mediated reactions are examined (Scheme 11.48) (167). The exo-syn-isomer of the isoxazolidine-5-alcohol regioisomer and the exo-syn-isomer of the isoxazolidine-4-alcohol regioisomer are the exclusive cycloadducts in the magnesium- and zinc-mediated reactions, respectively. 

The above dramatic dependence of regio- and stereoselectivity on the nature of the metal can be explained by the reaction mechanism shown in Scheme 11.49 (167). The nitrone cycloadditions of allylic alcohols are again magnesium-specific just like the nitrile oxide reactions described in Section 11.2.2. Magnesium ions accelerate the reaction through a metal ion-bound intramolecular cycloaddition path. On the other hand, zinc ions afford no such rate acceleration, but these ions catalyze the acetalization at the benzoyl carbonyl moiety of the nitrone to provide a hemiacetal intermediate. The subsequent intramolecular regio- and stereoselective cycloaddition reaction gives the observed products. 

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