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+ Stereoselectivity
+ Regioselectivity
+ Alcohols
+ Chemistry
Posted by
Aidan Cooney

Why do Grignard reagents add to propargyl alcohols?

Christopher Lucy  Follow

The addition of Grignards to propargyl alcohols occurs via the alkoxide salt, after deprotonation:[1]

Reaction scheme

Here:

  • the reactivity may be explained by the stabilising influence of complexation;
  • the regioselectivity may be explained by the preference of a five-membered chelate ring over a four-membered one; and
  • the stereoselectivity arises because syn addition requires a five-membered ring with a trans double bond and is therefore precluded.

In fact, propargylic alcohols also get reduced by $\ce{LiAlH4}$ (Hans Reich's website has a page on it), with the same trans stereochemistry observed.


Reference

(1) Forgione, P.; Fallis, A. G. Magnesium mediated carbometallation of propargyl alcohols: direct routes to dihydroxydienes and enediyne alcohols. Tetrahedron Lett. 2000, 41 (1), 11–15. DOI: 10.1016/S0040-4039(99)01994-2.

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