597-93-3

Fast addition of highly polar organometallic reagents (RMgX/RLi) to cyclic carbonates (derived from CO2 as a sustainable C1 synthon) has been studied in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran as a green reaction medium or in the absence of external volatile organic solvents, at room temperature, and in the presence of air/moisture. These reaction conditions are generally forbidden with these highly reactive main-group organometallic compounds. The correct stoichiometry and nature of the polar organometallic alkylating or arylating reagent allows straightforward synthesis of: highly substituted tertiary alcohols, β-hydroxy esters, or symmetric ketones, working always under air and at room temperature. Finally, an unprecedented one-pot/two-step hybrid protocol is developed through combination of an Al-catalyzed cycloaddition of CO2 and propylene oxide with the concomitant fast addition of RLi reagents to the in situ and transiently formed cyclic carbonate, thus allowing indirect conversion of CO2 into the desired highly substituted tertiary alcohols without need for isolation or purification of any reaction intermediates.

Known reagents that transfer three alkyl groups of a trialkylborane intramolecularly to a single carbon atom lack features to influence stereochemistry. We have investigated four reagents of type LiCCl2X, where X might be amenable to variation. All behaved differently. With X=OR (R=cyclohexyl, menthyl), the reagent decomposed, leading to only low yields of triple migration products. With X=S(O)Ph, a single migration occurred, followed by isomerisation to boron enolate-like species that hydrolysed to α-chloroalkyl phenyl sulfoxides or reacted with aldehydes to aldol-like products. With X=SO2Ph, the major product was the corresponding α,α-dichloroalkyl phenyl sulfone, apparently formed through a redox reaction. With X=S(O)(NMe)Ph, products of three intramolecular alkyl migrations were obtained with unhindered trialkylboranes. Attempts have been made to gain understanding of the sulfoxide process by investigating proportions of aldol-like products, using X-ray crystallography and ab initio calculations.

The reaction of mixed n-butyldiphenylzincate, n-BuPh2ZnMgBr with ethyl chloroformate, ClCOOEt in the presence n-Bu3P in THF takes place with quantitative yield and phenyl group transfer to give PhCOOEt. Ethoxycarbonylation of n-BuPh2ZnMgBr is preferable to the reaction of PhMgBr forming ester and triphenylcarbinol and also to the reaction of triphenylzincate, Ph3ZnMgBr for atom economy. Group selectivity in the phosphine catalyzed C-COOR coupling of n-BuPh2ZnMgBr and n-Bu2PhZnMgBr can be controlled by changing reaction parameters. n-Bu3P catalyzed reaction of n-BuPh2ZnMgBr with ClCOOEt takes place with phenyl selectivity whereas reaction of n-Bu2PhZnMgBr with ClCOOPh results in n-butyl transfer. Catalysis by Ph3P increases n-butyl group:phenyl group transfer ratio in the ethoxycarbonylation of both zincates. Selective transfer of aryl groups in n-Bu3P catalyzed reaction of n-butyl(aryl)2ZnMgBr reagents with ClCOOEt in THF provides a new procedure for the organometallic synthesis of arenecarboxylic acid ethyl esters at room temperature.

Preparation of alkenes via a manganate-induced alkylation-elimination sequence was investigated. The reaction of 2-alkoxy-1,1-dibromoalkanes with trialkylmanganates afforded disubstituted or trisubstituted alkenes. Treatment of 2-alkoxy-1,1,1-tribromoalkanes with trialkylmanganates provided trisubstituted or tetrasubstituted alkenes through bromine-metal exchange, transfer of two alkyl groups from manganese to carbon, and successive elimination of metal and the β-alkoxy moieties.

The reactivity and the stability of organomanganese reagents prepared from the ate complexes MnX2·2LiBr (X= Br,I) and MnCl2·R4NX (X= Br, Cl) were studied. The preparation and the use for synthetic applications of stable sec- and tert-alkylmanganese bromides in ether as well as the acylation of RMnCl by R'COOCOOEt in THF were successfully achieved for the first time.

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A one-step synthesis of diaryl and alkyl-aryl ketones by the reaction of carboxylic acid with Grignard reagents in the presence of NiCl2(Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2) as catalyst is described.In the nickel-catalyzed Grignard reaction the formation of alcohols is nearly completely suppressed.