FULL PAPER
DOI: 10.1002/chem.201201720
Highly Selective Barbier-Type Propargylations and Allenylations Catalyzed
by TitanoceneACTHUNTGRNEUNG(III)
Juan MuÇoz-Bascꢀn, Iris Sancho-Sanz, Enrique ꢁlvarez-Manzaneda,
Antonio Rosales,* and J. Enrique Oltra*[a]
Abstract: The alkyne functional group
or allene motifs into organic molecules
are very valuable but, as yet, quite
scarce. We describe an extremely mild
and selective method for either the
propargylation or allenylation of car-
is found in many bioactive natural
products and is the key to many impor-
tant chemical transformations devel-
oped over recent years. Moreover, al-
lenes have recently gained relevance as
versatile reagents in organic synthesis.
Mild, catalytic methods to enable the
selective introduction of either alkyne
bonyl compounds catalyzed by the
abundant, safe, and inexpensive metal
titanium. These reactions can selective-
ly provide homopropargylic alcohols
from aldehydes and ketones or a-hy-
droxy-allenes from aldehydes. The
mechanisms involved were also investi-
gated.
Keywords: allenes · carbonyl com-
pounds · homogeneous catalysis ·
propargylations · titanium
Introduction
er-type propargylations is often more convenient than the
two-step strategy (preparation of the propargylic organome-
tallic reagent and subsequent coupling with the carbonyl de-
rivative) characteristic of Grignard-type strategies. This is
especially so with propargylic halides because the Grignard
reagent may be difficult to prepare in high yields.
Due to the considerable synthetic importance of propar-
gylation reactions,[11] various transition metals, including
Mg,[12] Zn,[13] In,[14] Sn,[15] Ce,[16] Sm,[17] and Cr,[18] have been
assayed to achieve this reaction by the Barbier-type strategy.
Nevertheless, these metals are often required in stoichiomet-
ric proportions, which may be expensive and environmental-
ly unfriendly. Additionally, many of them work in the
The alkyne functional group is present in numerous natural
products, bioactive compounds, and interesting new materi-
als,[1] for example, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs).[2]
Moreover, in recent years, alkyne chemistry has received re-
newed interest in the field of organic synthesis, mainly due
to the development of efficient alkyne-based carbon–carbon
and carbon–heteroatom bond-forming processes, such as So-
nogashira couplings,[3] alkyne and enyne metathesis,[4] click
chemistry,[5] enyne cycloisomerizations,[6] and enantioselec-
tive additions to carbonyl groups,[7] among others.[8] On the
other hand, for many years allenes have been considered
unstable compounds or simple chemical curiosities but it is
now known that the allene motif is present in more than 150
natural products, especially terpenoids and carotenoids.[9]
Furthermore, allenes have proved themselves to be impor-
tant building blocks in organic synthesis, especially in cycli-
zation and cycloaddition reactions.[10] Nevertheless, methods
for the synthesis of allenes are still scarce and most are
based on alkyne isomerization reactions.[9,10] One of the
most straightforward ways of introducing alkyne motifs into
organic molecules is by the propargylation of carbonyl de-
rivatives. Within this context, the one-step strategy of Barbi-
heteroACHTNUTRGNEgNUG eneous phase, which compromises the reproducibili-
ty of results and affords, in many cases, mixtures of homo-
propargylic and allenic alcohols.
Within this context, we hypothesized that titanoceneACHTUNGTRENNUNG(III)
complexes might provide inexpensive catalysts to mediate
Barbier-type propargylations under safe, mild conditions. In
fact, titanium is the seventh most-abundant metal on Earth
and many titanium compounds are non-toxic and environ-
mentally friendly.[19] Moreover, in previous experiments
titaniumACTHNUTRGENUG(N III) catalysts had afforded excellent results for
Barbier-type allylations.[20] Additionally, preliminary results
obtained in our laboratory for propargylation reactions sup-
ported our hypothesis.[21]
[a] J. MuÇoz-Bascꢀn, I. Sancho-Sanz, Prof. E. ꢁlvarez-Manzaneda,
Dr. A. Rosales, Prof. J. E. Oltra
We report in detail the scope and limitations of the selec-
tive Barbier-type propargylation of aldehydes and ketones
and the allenylation of aldehydes catalyzed by [TiClCp2] at
room temperature under mild conditions compatible with
many functional groups. We also present the results of a
mechanistic study into these reactions and the catalytic cycle
involved.
Department of Organic Chemistry
University of Granada, Faculty of Sciences
Campus Fuentenueva s/n (Spain)
Fax : (+34)958248437
Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW
Chem. Eur. J. 2012, 00, 0 – 0
ꢂ 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
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