Stereospecific cyclopropanation of highly substituted C-C double bonds promoted by CrCl2. Stereoselective synthesis of cyclopropanecarboxamides and cyclopropyl ketones

We describe herein a CrCl(2)-promoted cyclopropanation of alpha,beta-unsaturated amides. This reaction can be carried out on (E)- or (Z)-alpha,beta-enamides in which the C-C double bond is di-, tri-, or tetrasubstituted. In all cases the process is completely stereospecific and only a single diastereoisomer is obtained. In addition, cyclopropyl ketones were readily prepared by reaction of the cyclopropanecarboxamides (derived from morpholine) obtained with a range of organolithium compounds. A mechanism has been proposed to explain the cyclopropanation reaction.