Iron-catalyzed oxidative homo-coupling of aryl Grignard reagents

[reaction: see text] Iron-catalyzed homo-coupling of aryl Grignard reagents was successfully developed. A variety of aryl Grignard reagents were efficiently converted into the corresponding symmetrical biaryls in the presence of 1-5 mol % FeCl3 and a stoichiometric amount of 1,2-dichloroethane.     

Ligand-free nickel-catalyzed Kumada couplings of aryl bromides with tert-butyl Grignard reagents

A ligand-free nickel-catalyzed Kumada cross-coupling of aryl bromides and tert-butyl Grignard reagents led to the formation of a series of tert-butyl aryls in moderate to good yields, excellent tBu/iBu ratios, and good functional group compatibility. A radical coupling process is indicated and a mechanism with a Ni(I)-Ni(III) catalytic cycle is proposed.     

Silver-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of alkyl bromides with alkyl or aryl Grignard reagents

Treatment of secondary or tertiary alkyl bromides with alkyl Grignard reagents in the presence of catalytic amounts of silver bromide and potassium fluoride in CH₂Cl₂ afforded the corresponding cross-coupling products in reasonable yields. Moreover, silver showed catalytic activity for the cross-coupling reactions of alkyl bromides with aryl Grignard reagents.     

Highly alkyl-selective addition to ketones with magnesium ate complexes derived from Grignard reagents

A highly efficient alkyl-selective addition to ketones with magnesium ate complexes derived from Grignard reagents and alkyllithiums is described. The nucleophilicity of R in R3MgLi is remarkably increased compared to that of the original RLi or RMgX, while the basicity of R3MgLi is decreased. Furthermore, a highly R-selective addition to ketones is demonstrated using RMe2MgLi in place of R3MgLi. [reaction: see text]     

Practical one-pot preparation of ketones from aryl and alkyl bromides with aldehydes and DIH via Grignard reagents

Various diaryl ketones, alkyl aryl ketones, and dialkyl ketones were efficiently prepared in good yields by the reactions of the Grignard reagents derived from aryl or alkyl bromides, followed by the reactions with aromatic or aliphatic aldehydes and the subsequent treatment with 1,3-diiodo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin and K₂CO₃, in a one-pot method. The same treatment of aromatic bromides bearing electron-withdrawing groups, such as ester, nitrile, ketone, and nitro groups with i-PrMgCl·LiCl or PhMgCl instead of Mg, also provided the corresponding diaryl and alkyl aryl ketones in good yields. The above methods are simple and practical transition-metal-free methods for the preparation of various diaryl ketones and alkyl aryl ketones bearing electron-rich aromatic groups and electron-deficient aromatic groups, as well as dialkyl ketones.     

Preparation of nitrogen-containing pi-deficient heteroaromatic Grignard reagents: oxidative magnesiation of nitrogen-containing pi-deficient halogenoheteroaromatics using active magnesium

The oxidative magnesiation of nitrogen-containing pi-deficient halogenoheteroaromatics using active magnesium was accomplished. Both magnesiation followed by addition of a carbonyl compound (Grignard reaction) and magnesiation in the presence of a carbonyl compound (Barbier reaction) were carried out to afford the corresponding product. Especially, the latter method enabled fused halogenodiazines such as 4-chloro-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine or 2-chloroquinoxaline to magnesiate at a mild temperature (-20 to 30 degrees C).     

Michael addition of Grignard reagents to tetraethyl ethenylidenebisphosphonate

Tetraethyl ethenylidenebisphosphonate can undergo facile Michael type addition reaction with simple Grignard reagents to give alkyl, arylalkyl, aryl C-substituted methylene bisphosphonates. This addition easily occurs even if funtionalised Grignard reagents are used.     

Nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of alkynyl bromides with Grignard reagents

We describe a convenient method for the synthesis of 1,2-disubstituted acetylenes via a cross-coupling reaction of （bromoethynyl）benzene with Grignard reagents. The reaction of （bromoethynyl）benzene （1 mmol） with Grignard reagent （1.3 mmol） mediated by NiCl2 （4 mol%） and （p-CH3Ph）3P （8 mol%） in THF could produce 1,2-disubstituted acetylenes in good yields at room temperature.     

Palladium-catalyzed silylation of aryl bromides leading to functionalized aryldimethylsilanols

[reaction: see text] A mild and general palladium-catalyzed insertion of 1,2-diethoxy-1,1,2,2-tetramethyldisilane into a variety of aryl bromides affords the aryldimethylsilyl ethers in high yields. Hydrolysis of the ethers under pH-optimized conditions results in the exclusive formation of the desired aryldimethylsilanols.     

Cobalt-catalyzed preparation of arylindium reagents from aryl and heteroaryl bromides

A cobalt-bathophenanthroline catalyst has been developed for the direct preparation of a variety of arylindium reagents from the corresponding aryl and heteroaryl bromides in the presence of indium metal and lithium chloride. The thus-formed arylindium reagents undergo efficient palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with aryl iodides, tolerating various functional groups including hydroxy and free amino groups.     

Added-metal-free catalytic nucleophilic addition of Grignard reagents to ketones

On the basis of the investigation of the combinational effect of quaternary ammonium salts and organic bases, an added-metal-free catalytic system for nucleophilic addition reactions of a variety of Grignard reagents to diverse ketones in THF solvent has been developed to produce tertiary alcohols in good to excellent yields. By using tetrabutylammonium chloride (NBu(4)Cl) as a catalyst and diglyme (DGDE) as an additive, this system strongly enhances the efficiency of addition at the expense of enolization and reduction. NBu(4)Cl should help to shift the Schlenk equilibrium of Grignard reagents to the side of dimeric Grignard reagents to favor the additions of Grignard reagents to ketones via a favored six-membered transition state to form the desired tertiary alcohols, and DGDE should increase the nucleophilic reactivities of Grignard reagents by coordination. This catalytic system has been applied in the efficient synthesis of Citalopram, an effective U.S. FDA-approved antidepressant, and a recyclable version of this catalytic synthesis has also been devised.     

Preparation of highly functionalized arylmagnesium reagents by the addition of magnesium phenylselenide to arynes

The described polyfunctional arylmagnesium reagents, resulting from the highly regioselective addition of magnesium phenylselenide to functionalized arynes, can be trapped by a range of electrophiles, yielding polyfunctional selenoethers in 45-85% yields. Furthermore, these Grignard reagents can be used in Negishi cross-coupling reactions with iodoarenes after transmetalation to the corresponding arylzinc compounds, furnishing functionalized biaryl products in 55-73% yields.     

Coupling of aryl Grignard reagents by electron transfer to 2,3-dichloropropene

A general synthesis of symmetrical biaryls in good to excellent yields via homo-coupling of aryl Grignard reagents in the presence of 2,3- dichloropropene is described.     

Simple diastereoselectivity on addition of alpha-haloalkyl Grignard reagents to benzaldehyde

The addition of alpha-haloalkyl Grignard reagents to benzaldehyde occurs with simple diastereoselectivity substantially higher than that of the corresponding lithium reagents. Reaction in the presence of dimethyl-aluminum chloride suppresses subsequent Oppenauer oxidation of the resulting Mg-alkoxides by excess benzaldehyde.     

CuCl-catalyzed stereoselective conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to 2,3-allenoates

CuCl was found to be an efficient catalyst for the conjugate addition of 2,3-allenoates with Grignard reagents to synthesize poly-substituted β,γ-unsaturated alkenoates with high stereoselectivity in good to excellent yields. Primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl, vinyl or phenyl Grignard reagents may all be used.