CuBrؒSMe2 instead of a stoichiometric amount of CuCNؒ
2LiCl is beneficial in promoting the reactions of the β-amido
zinc reagents 1a and 2 with unsaturated electrophiles. In addi-
tion, we have provided evidence that for the zinc reagent 2,
complete retention of stereochemical integrity occurs during
the coupling process.
aqueous ammonium chloride (20 mL) and then filtered. The
organic layer was washed with water (20 mL) and brine (20 mL)
and then dried, and the solvent removed at reduced pressure.
Flash column chromatography on silica gel, eluting with an
appropriate petroleum ether–ethyl acetate gradient yielded the
unsaturated products 12–15 and 16–18.
Method (ii): preparation of ꢀ-unsaturated ethylamines and
propylamines via CuBrؒSMe2 catalysis
Experimental
Dry DMF was distilled from calcium hydride and stored over 4
Å molecular sieves. Dry dichloromethane was distilled from
calcium hydride. Dry THF was distilled from potassium–
benzophenone ketyl. Petroleum ether refers to the fraction with
a boiling point between 40 and 60 ЊC. Specific rotations were
measured at 20 ЊC, unless otherwise stated and values are given
The organozinc reagent (1a or 2) was prepared as described
above. The excess zinc dust was allowed to settle for 5 minutes
at 0 ЊC then the supernatant was transferred under nitrogen by
syringe to a pre-mixed solution of CuBrؒSMe2 (0.010 g,
5 mol%), and the electrophile (1.00 mmol, 1.3 equiv.) in DMF
(0.5 mL) at Ϫ10 ЊC (ice–salt). The solution was then allowed to
warm slowly to room temperature and stirred for a further 14 h.
The reaction mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 mL) and
washed successively with water (20 mL) and brine (20 mL),
dried and evaporated to dryness. Flash column chromato-
graphy over silica with an appropriate petroleum ether–ethyl
acetate gradient furnished the products 12–15 and 16–18.
1
in 10Ϫ1 deg cm2 gϪ1. H NMR spectra were recorded in CDCl3
solvent at 500 MHz, referenced to TMS. 13C NMR spectra were
recorded in CDCl3 at 125 MHz and referenced to TMS. Chem-
ical shifts are given in ppm. Coupling constants are given in
hertz. Organic extracts were dried over MgSO4 and the solvent
removed on a rotary evaporator. The preparation of iodide 10
has been described,5 and iodide 11 was prepared by the same
method.
N-Pent-4-enylcarbamic acid tert-butyl ester 12. Treatment
with allyl bromide (1.0 mmol) yielded pent-4-enylcarbamic acid
tert-butyl ester 12 (0.071 g, 51%) isolated as a colourless oil
(Found Mϩ 185.1410; C10H19NO2 requires 185.1416); IR (KBr
disc)/cmϪ1 3350, 2978, 1691, and 1641; NMR δH 1.44 (9H, s,
C(CH3)3), 1.55–1.61 (2H, m, C(2)H2), 2.06–2.11 (2H, m,
C(3)H2), 3.13 (2H, q, J 7, C(1)H2), 4.54–4.58 (1H, br s, NH),
4.96–5.05 (2H, m, C(5)H and C(5)HЈ), 5.75–5.84 (1H, m,
C(4)H); δC 28.43 (CH3), 29.24 (CH2), 30.44 (CH2), 40.10 (CH2),
79.09 (quat.), 115.09 (C(5)H2), 137.86 (C(4)H2), and 155.96
(CO); m/z (EI) 183 (Mϩ, 64%), 110 (88), 57 (100), and 53 (12).
(2S)-N-tert-Butoxycarbonyl-2-amino-1-iodopropane 1111
Isolated as a white solid, (2S)-N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2-amino-
1-iodopropane 11 was recrystallised from petroleum ether–
ethyl acetate (9.21 g, 60%). Mp 60–62 ЊC (lit.11 58–59 ЊC)
(Found Mϩ 285.0211; C8H16NO2I requires 285.0226); [α]1D4
Ϫ15.3 (c 1.00 in CH2Cl2) (Found: C, 33.8; H, 5.6; N, 4.8%;
C8H16NO2I requires C, 33.7; H, 5.7; N, 4.9%); IR (KBr disc)/
cmϪ1 3285, 2976, 1678, 1533, and 1172; NMR δH 1.20 (3H, d,
J 7, C(3)H3), 1.45 (9H, s, C(CH3)3), 3.30 (1H, dd, J 10, 4,
C(1)H), 3.38–3.43 (1H, m, C(1)HЈ), 3.50–3.56 (1H, m, C(2)H),
4.60–4.66 (1H, br s, NH); δC 16.02 (CH3), 21.12 (CH2), 28.52
(CH3), 45.89 (CH), 79.67 (quat.), and 154.79 (CO); m/z (EI) 285
(Mϩ, 11%), 144 (61), 102 (32), 88 (15), and 57 (33).
N-(tert-Butoxycarbonyl)penta-3,4-dienylamine 13. Treatment
with propargyl chloride (1.0 mmol) yielded N-(tert-butoxy-
carbonyl)penta-3,4-dienylamine 13 (0.086 g, 63%) isolated as a
colourless oil (Found Mϩ 183.1260; C10H17NO2 requires
183.1259); IR (KBr disc)/cmϪ1 3347, 2954, and 1705; NMR
δH 1.44 (9H, s, C(CH3)3), 2.15–2.22 (2H, m, C(2)H2), 3.22 (2H,
d, J 6, C(1)H2), 4.64–4.69 (1H, br s, NH), 4.70–4.74 (2H, m,
C(5)H and C(5)HЈ), 5.05–5.11 (1H, m, C(4)H); δC 28.38 (CH3),
28.80 (CH2), 39.81 (CH2), 75.34 (C(5)), 79.17 (quat.), 87.09
(C(3)), 155.84 (CO), and 208.90 (C(4)); m/z (EI) 183 (Mϩ, 22%),
110 (88), 71 (42), and 57 (100).
A racemic sample rac-11 of the above material was prepared
in an identical manner. Compound rac-11 exhibited identical
spectroscopic data to the enantiomerically pure sample 11 but
had melting point of 53–54 ЊC.
Generation of zinc reagents 1a and 2. General procedure
Zinc dust (325 mesh, 0.147 g, 2.25 mmol, 3.0 equivalents) was
weighed into a 50 mL round-bottom flask with side arm, which
was repeatedly evacuated (with heating using a hot air gun) and
flushed with nitrogen. Dry DMF (0.5 mL) and trimethylsilyl
chloride (6 µL, 0.046 mmol) were added, and the resultant mix-
ture was stirred for 30 min at room temperature. The iodide 1a
or 2 (0.75 mmol) was dissolved in dry DMF (0.5 mL) under
nitrogen. The iodide solution was transferred by syringe to the
zinc suspension and stirred at 0 ЊC. TLC analysis (petroleum
ether–ethyl acetate, 2 : 1) showed complete consumption of the
iodide within 5–15 min.
Ethyl (5-N-tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-2-methylenepentano-
ate 14. Treatment with ethyl 2-bromomethylacrylate (1.0 mmol)
yielded ethyl (5-N-tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-2-methylene-
pentanoate 14 (0.151 g, 78%), isolated as a colourless oil
(Found MHϩ 258.1712; C13H23NO4 requires 258.1705); IR
(KBr disc)/cmϪ1 3376, 2978, 1731, and 1631; NMR δH 1.31 (3H,
t, J 7, CO2CH2CH3), 1.44 (9H, s, C(CH3)3), 1.64–1.70 (2H, m,
C(4)H2), 2.33 (2H, t, J 7.5, C(3)H2), 3.15 (2H, q, J 6, C(5)H2),
4.21 (2H, q, J 7, CO2CH2CH3), 4.65–4.70 (1H, br s, NH), 5.56
(1H, d, J 1, C methylene H), 6.17 (1H, d, J 1, C methylene HЈ);
δC 14.21 (CH3), 28.44 (CH3), 28.96 (CH2), 29.06 (CH2), 39.96
(CH2), 60.70 (CH2), 79.04 (quat.), 125.09 (C methylene), 140.08
(C(2)H2), 156.01 (carbamate), and 167.15 (ester); m/z (EI) 258
(MHϩ, 26%), 202 (51), 184 (5), 112 (9), 85 (6), and 57 (100).
Method (i): preparation of ꢀ-unsaturated ethylamines and
propylamines via zinc–copper reagents 8 and 9
The pre-formed zinc reagent (1a or 2) was cooled to Ϫ55 ЊC
(cryostat temperature). A solution of CuCNؒ2LiCl, prepared
by dissolving copper() cyanide (0.067 g, 0.75 mmol) and
vacuum-dried (at 180 ЊC, for 4 h) lithium chloride (0.064 g, 1.50
mmol) in dry DMF (0.5 mL), was transferred via syringe to the
reaction mixture, which was then allowed to warm to 0 ЊC for
5 min. After re-cooling to Ϫ55 ЊC, the electrophile (1.00 mmol)
was introduced, and then the mixture was stirred at this tem-
perature for 4 h, then allowed to warm slowly to room temper-
ature and stirred for a further 10 h. The reaction mixture
was partitioned between ethyl acetate (30 mL) and saturated
3-(2Ј-N-tert-Butoxycarbonylaminoethyl)cyclohex-2-en-1-one
15. Treatment with 3-iodocyclohex-2-enone (1.0 mmol) yielded
3-(2Ј-N-tert-butoxycarbonylaminoethyl)cyclohex-2-en-1-one
15 (0.084, 47%), isolated as a colourless oil. IR (KBr disc)/cmϪ1
3344, 2933, 1694, and 1667; NMR δH 1.42 (9H, s, C(CH3)3),
1.98–2.03 (2H, m, C(5)H2), 2.32–2.41 (6H, m, C(1)H2, C(4Ј)H2,
C(6Ј)H2), 3.33 (2H, q, J 6, C(2)H2), 4.56–4.62 (1H, br s, NH),
5.87 (1H, s, C(3Ј)H ); δC 22.72 (CH2), 28.43 (CH3), 29.44, 37.34,
J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 2001, 1349–1352
1351