Reaction of Lithiated Propargyl Ethers with Carbonyl Compounds – A Regioselective Route to Furan Derivatives

Abstract

The deprotonation of 3-aryl-substituted alkyl propargyl ethers with n-butyllithium provides an ambident anion that reacts with carbonyl compounds to provide mixtures of γ-substituted products with alkoxyallene substructure and of α-substituted propargyl ethers. The ratio of the two product types strongly depends on the solvent: in diethyl ether the γ-substituted products predominate whereas the more polar tetrahydrofuran favors the α-adducts. The primary addition products undergo 5-endo-trig or 5-endo-dig cyclizations under various reaction conditions to afford isomeric furan derivatives. The highest selectivity in favor of α-substituted products was achieved by employing a MOM-protected propargyl ether. During the protonation step no evidence for a proton shift leading to an isomeric allenyl anion was found. A brief mechanistic discussion tries to rationalize the observed regio­selectivities.

Key words

alkoxyallene - alkyne - cyclization - furan - gold catalysis - lithiation - regioselectivity - silver catalysis

Publication History

Received: 20 August 2020

Accepted after revision: 26 September 2020

Article published online:
28 October 2020

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