Synthesis 2017; 49(17): 3952-3956
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1588814
special topic
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Remarkable Influence of Cobalt Catalysis on Epoxide Ring-Opening with Sulfoxonium Ylides

Megan L. Jamieson
School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, 23 Symonds St, Auckland 1010, New Zealand   eMail: d.furkert@auckland.ac.nz
,
Nicola Z. Brant
School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, 23 Symonds St, Auckland 1010, New Zealand   eMail: d.furkert@auckland.ac.nz
,
Margaret A. Brimble*
School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, 23 Symonds St, Auckland 1010, New Zealand   eMail: d.furkert@auckland.ac.nz
,
Daniel P. Furkert*
School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, 23 Symonds St, Auckland 1010, New Zealand   eMail: d.furkert@auckland.ac.nz
› Institutsangaben

Support from The University of Auckland is gratefully acknowledged through the award of doctoral scholarships to M.L.J. and N.Z.B.
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Publikationsverlauf

Received: 22. März 2017

Accepted after revision: 05. April 2017

Publikationsdatum:
08. Mai 2017 (online)


Published as part of the Special Topic Cobalt in Organic Synthesis

Abstract

Cobalt demonstrates a remarkable ability to catalytically divert the course of epoxide to oxetane ring expansion via reaction with a sulfoxonium ylide. An expanded survey of transition-metal catalysts has confirmed that cobalt salts uniquely instead deliver homoallylic alcohol products from epoxides, with retention of the original epoxide stereochemistry. The reaction is an unusual example of cobalt-catalysed epoxide­ ring-opening by a carbon nucleophile. A tandem Corey–Chaykovsky/epoxide olefination sequence giving homoallylic alcohols from aldehydes is further demonstrated along with preliminary mechanistic analysis. This communication summarises current understanding and ongoing studies into this intriguing new cobalt-mediated reactivity.