The reaction of a-chloronitrosocyclohexane with allylzinc reagents in THF selectively provides O-allylcyclohexanone oximes in very good yields in an ene type reaction followed by zinc halide elimination. N-Allyl hydroxylamines are formed as minor products via N-allyl nitrones when a nonpolar solvent, e.g. toluene, is employed. In both cases complete allylic transposition with respect to the allylic organozinc reagent is observed. Compared to non-metalated allyl compounds, which give N-allyl nitrones upon reaction with a-chloronitroso compounds, the use of zinc as hydrogen equivalent in an ene type reaction displays a drastic change of reactivity.The ene reaction and its hetero variants belong to the central repertoire of chemical reactions. While the ene reaction itself routinely is considered as being concerted, the mechanisms of hetero-ene reactions are still subject of controversial discussions. Among the different heteroenophiles A=B (Scheme 1), the isoelectronic species singlet oxygen, 1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-diones, and nitroso compounds attracted special attention. 2 The debates on the mechanism of the nitroso ene reaction recently experienced new impact based on theoretical studies. 2,3
Scheme 1 Intermediates of the hetero-ene reactionReactions of nitroso compounds with alkenes were discovered in 1965 and give N-allyl hydroxylamine derivatives 1 according to an ene-type mechanism. 4 Besides concerted transition states 2 and zwitterionic species 3, especially polarized diradical intermediates 4, and/or aziridine N-oxide intermediates 5 are currently being discussed. While the initially formed N-allyl hydroxylamines 1 are susceptible to oxidation and disproportionation, such disadvantages are not observed for products resulting from reaction with a-chloronitroso compounds (e.g. 6) as highly reactive, electron deficient enophiles. 5,6 The primary ene products 7 eliminate HCl to give nitrones 8 (Scheme 2). Compared to a-chloronitrosoalkanes, which require days or weeks to react completely in ene reactions, 5a an enhanced reactivity has been observed for the even more electron-deficient 1-chloro-1-nitrosocarbohydrates, due to the electronegative oxygen substituent. 2 Scheme 2 Reactions of a-chloronitroso compounds 6 N-substituted nitrones 10 are obtained as intermediates upon reaction of sodium or zinc enolates 9 (M = ZnCl) with a-chloronitroso compounds. Products 10 are easily hydrolyzed to give a-(N-hydroxyamino)ketones and a-(N-hydroxyamino)amides 11, respectively. 7 The principle of a metal substituent acting as a hydrogen equivalent in ene reactions suggests that suitable allylmetallic compounds should react with the same enophiles by transfer of the metal rather than hydrogen. The use of a metal as hydrogen equivalent in such metallo-ene reactions 8 is important because it provides the option of modulating the reactivity by varying the metal and, if possible, its ligands.Several examples of these metallo-ene reactions with silicon, germanium, tin, lead, or mercury as the metal and singlet oxygen or an azo c...