Transition metal catalyzed carbonyl additions under the conditions of transfer hydrogenation

Abstract

The efficient construction of complex organic molecules mandates that an assortment of methods for forming C-C bonds be available to the practicing synthetic chemist. The addition of carbon based nucleophiles to carbonyl compounds represents a broad class of reactions used to achieve this goal. Traditional methodology requires the use of stoichiometrically preformed organometallic reagents as nucleophiles in this type of reaction. However, due to the moisture sensitivity, excessive preactivation and inevitable generation of stoichiometric waste required for the use of these reagents, alternative methods have become a focus of the synthetic organic community. The research presented in this dissertation describes a new class of C-C bond forming reactions enabled through catalytic transfer hydrogenation. Here, the development and implementation of efficient green methods for carbonyl addition employing π-unsaturates as surrogates to preformed organometallic reagents is described. Additionally, this research describes the first systematic studies toward using alcohols as electrophiles in carbonyl allylation, propargylation and vinylation reactions.