Cob(I)alamin Differentiating Alkenes During Saturation

The olefins 2, 7, 11 , and 19 , have been reduced using catalytic amounts of cob(I)alamin( I(I) ). During a slow saturation, the catalyst is able to differentiate the two diastereotopic faces of the endocyclic double bonds in 11 (t_1/2 4 h,. cf. Scheme 3) are reduced much faster. A rationalization of the data can be obtained formulating tertiary alkylcobalamins as intermediates. Of the oxime 6 (cf. Scheme 2) and the p- bromobenzoate 23 (cf. Scheme 5) the structures have been determined by X-ray analysis.