Organozirconocenes are versatile synthetic intermediates that can undergo carbonylation to yield acyl anion equivalents. Zirconocene hydrochloride (Cp 2 ZrHCl) is often the reagent of choice for accessing these intermediates but generates organozirconocenes only from alkenes and alkynes. This requirement eliminates a broad range of substrates including aromatic rings, benzylic groups, and alkyl groups that possess a tertiary or quaternary carbon alpha to the carbon-zirconium bond. To provide more generalized access to acyl zirconium reagents, we explored transmetalation of Grignard reagents with zirconocene dichloride under a CO atmosphere. This protocol generates acyl zirconium (IV) complexes that are inaccessible using the Schwartz reagent, including those derived from secondary and tertiary alkyl and aryl Grignard reagents.
Graphical AbstractAcyl zirconocenes [Cp 2 ZrCl(COR)] are valuable acyl anion equivalents in synthetic chemistry. Traditionally, they have been prepared through hydrozirconation of olefins or alkynes, precluding generation of aryl, benzyl, tertiary alkyl or branched acyl zirconocenes. Here we describe a Zrmediated carbonylative coupling of Grignard reagents that involves previously inaccessible zirconocene intermediates.Correspondence to: Joseph M. Ready, joseph.ready@utsouthwestern.edu. Supporting information for this article is given via a link at the end of the document.((Please delete this text if not appropriate)) [2,3,4,5] Among the most useful transformations of organozirconocenes is their carbonylation to yield acyl zirconium complexes. [6] These reagents serve as acyl anion equivalents and can undergo oxidation to yield carboxylic acid derivatives and react in C-C bond forming processes to yield unsymmetrical ketones. For example, acyl zirconium reagents add to ketones and enones to form α-hydroxy ketones and 1,4-diketones, respectively. [7] Additionally, they couple with aryl and allyl electrophiles under metalmediated conditions. [8,9,10] Enantio-selective transformations of acyl zirconocenes have been developed to generate optically active ketone derivatives. [11] Organozirconium reagents are generally prepared by hydrozirconation of olefins or alkynes. These hydrometalations are highly regioselective, generally providing the less hindered alkyl or vinyl zirconium intermediate. [12] Indeed, hydrozirconation of internal olefins usually forms the terminal alkyl complex product through an isomerization sequence involving reversible hydrozirconation/β-hydride elimination (Scheme 1). [1] Additionally, hydrozirconation necessarily results in a zirconium complex with a β-C-H bond. This requirement excludes broad substrate classes including aryl and benzyl zirconium complexes. We sought to expand the scope of available organozirconium reagents through transmetalation from readily available organometallic species. While unprecedented, such a process could yield zirconium reagents that are currently inaccessible through hydrozirconation, including aryl-benzyl-and tertiary and sec...