Myers

Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Chem 115

Reviews:
Metallocenes in regio- and stereoselective synthesis, Vol. 8, Takahashi, T. Ed.; Springer: Berlin;
New York, 2005.
Marek, I.; Chechik-Lankin, H.; Functionalized Organozirconium and Titanium in Organic
Synthesis, in Handbook of Functionalized Organometallics: Applications in Synthesis, Knochel, P
Ed.; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, 2005.

Hydrozirconation proceeds by a stereospecific, concerted 4-centered process that typically

places zirconium on the less-substituted carbon.
The relative rates of hydrozirconation for different substrates are as follows:

>

General Reactivity of Zirconocene Compounds

R2

~
R1

>

R1

R2

R2 ~

R2
>

R1

R1

R3

Selective hydrozirconations have been reported:

Zr

Zr

X
Generalized
zirconocene

Cl
H

Cp2ZrHCl

Zirconocene
hydrochloride
(Schwartz's reagent)

81%
Fryzuk, M. D.; Bates, G. S.; Stone, C. J. Org. Chem. 1991, 56, 72017211.

Zirconocene complexes of the formula Cp2ZrXY are 16-electron d0 Zr(IV) complexes with one
empty valence shell orbital available for coordination. Consequently, many reactions of these
compounds are initiated by the interaction of an electron donor such as the -bond of an olefin with
the empty Zr orbital.

Cp Cp
Zr
H

C6H6, 23 C

>56%

C C

C C

bonding

backbonding

Crombie, L.; Hobbs, A. J. W.; Horsham, M. A.; Blade, R. J. Tetrahedron Lett. 1987, 28, 4875
4878.
Neighboring groups can influence the site of zirconation:

Cp2ZrHCl

Treatment of alkenes and alkynes with zirconocene hydrochloride gives rise to alkyl- and
alkenylzirconium intermediates, respectively.

R2

R1
Zr

H
Cl

hydrozirconation

R1=alkyl, aryl; R2=alkyl, H

ZrClCp2
R2

OK

THF, 23 C

Cp2Zr O
H3C

Takaya, H.; Yamakawa, M.; Mashima, K. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 1983, 12831284.

dehydrozirconation

R2
R1

TMS

Zr

Hydrozirconation

R1

ZrCp2Cl

Cp2ZrHCl

TMS

Cp Cp

ZrCp2Cl

toluene, 23 C

R1

ZrClCp2
H
R2
Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree
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Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

CH3LiZnCl2 reverses the regioselectivity in hydrozirconation of propargylic alcohols. The authors

propose that alkoxide generation with CH3Li promotes directed hydrometalation, while ZnCl2
blocks isomerization to the thermodynamically favored linear vinylzirconium species.

OH
R

Isomerization presumably occurs via a dimetalated species:

RL

RS

1. Cp2ZrHCl (2 equiv)
THF, 23 C

OH
I

2. I2, DCM, 78 C

without additive
MeLi (1 equiv), ZnCl2 (6 equiv)

H
H

linear

branched

> 50
1

1
> 50

CH3

If the thermodynamic product is desired, however, equilibration can be achieved by treatment with
additional hydrozirconation reagent.

Cp2ZrHCl

H3C
H
Cl

RL

RS

Zr

Cl

RS

Cp2ZrHCl

ZrCp2Cl
H
RS

Similarly, internal alkenes undergo rapid isomerization at room temperature to terminal alkenes
via -H-elimination of the initially formed alkyl zirconium intermediate, followed by re-addition. By
contrast, considerably higher temperatures are required for alkene isomerization in
hydroalumination and hydroboration reactions.

Zhang, D.; Ready, J. M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 1208812089.

Zr

RL
H
ClCp2Zr

ZrCp2Cl

ClCp2Zr

OH
+

Chem 115

Zr

Cl

RL

Cl

Zr

CH3
CH3

H3C

CH3

quantitative

C6H6, 23 C

RL

RS

RL

Initially
observed

after treatment with

Cp2ZrHCl

n-Bu

> 98 : 2

ND

Et

55 : 45

Hart, D. W.; Schwartz, J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1974, 96, 81158116.

Product ratio 1 : 2

CH3

RS

89 : 11

CH3

n-Pr

69 : 31

91 : 9

CH3

i-Bu

55 : 45

> 95 : 5

CH3

i-Pr

84 : 16

> 98 : 2

CH3

t-Bu

> 98 : 2

ND

Reactions of organozirconocene compounds

Review: Wipf, P.; Jahn, H. Tetrahedron 1996, 52, 1285312910.
Due to steric crowding around zirconium, only small electrophiles react with organozirconocenes.

R2
R1

transmetalation

Cl

Zr

R1

R2
R1

M-X

oxidation or
halogenation

quench with D2O

X C:

R2
R1

H
C

R2

carbenoid
insertion

R2
R1

H
D

Hart, D. W.; Blackburn, T. F.; Schwartz, J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1975, 97, 679680.

CC
coupling

H
X

Zr

Cl

X
H

R1
R2

Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree

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Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Oxidation
A number of reagents are capable of oxidizing alkylzirconocenes to the corresponding linear
alcohols. These methods do not apply to alkenylzirconocenes.

In the following table, n-octylzirconocene chloride (R = n-Hex) was obtained by hydrozirconation

isomerization of a mixture of linear octenes (vide supra).

Chem 115

1,1-Bimetallic reagents of zirconium and boron can be prepared in situ and converted into
valuable building blocks. In the example shown, -zirconation occured exclusively.

ZrCp2Cl

Cp2ZrHCl

n-Bu

n-Bu

B(pin)

Zr

n-Bu

B(pin)

DCM, 23 C

Br

NBS

B(pin)

Conditions

Cl

HO

98%

Zheng, B.; Srebnik, M. Tetrahedron Lett. 1994, 35, 11451148.

Conditions

Yield

t-Bu

O2; H2O

91%

isopropenyl

O2; H2O

77%

n-Hex

H2O2, NaOH

69%

n-Hex

t-BuOOH

72%

n-Hex

m-CPBA

45%

n-Hex

CrO2Cl2

52%

High regioselectivity is observed in the hydrozirconation of alkynyl stannanes as well:

SnBu3

Cp2ZrHCl, THF

ZrCp2Cl

BnO

I2, 0 C

BnO

SnBu3

SnBu3

23 C, 15 min

OBn

90%

Lipshutz, B. H.; Keil, R.; Barton, J. C. Tetrahedron Lett. 1992, 33, 58615864.

Hart, D. W.; Schwartz, J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1974, 96, 81158116.

Carbenoid insertion
Acylzirconocenes are formed by insertion of carbon monoxide.

Halogenation
Electrophilic halogenation of alkyl- and alkenylzirconocenes is commonly employed for the
synthesis of vinyl halides.

These acyl zirconium complexes can be converted into the corresponding aldehydes, carboxylic
acids and esters by the methods shown:

O
Zr

Cl

X+

R1

Br2, CH3OH

R2
R1

H
X

R2

OCH3
OTIPS

Cp2ZrHCl;

NBS

Br
CH3

OCH3
51%

Zr

The reaction proceeds with retention of configuration at carbon and affords E-vinyl halides from
alkynes.

H3C

n-Bu

X+ = I2, Br2, PhICl2, NBS, NCS

Cl

CO (1 atm)

Zr

Cl

NaOH, H2O2

n-Bu

n-Bu
n-Bu

OH
77%

HCl

O
OCH3
OTIPS

86%

n-Bu
99%
Bertelo, C. A.; Schwartz, J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1975, 97, 228230.

Ragan, J. A.; Nakatsuka, M.; Smith, D. B.; Uehling, D. E.; Schreiber, S. L. J. Org. Chem. 1989, 54,
42674268.

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Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Homologated aldehydes are obtained by protonationhydrolysis of isonitrile insertion products.

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)
THF, rt, 1 h;

n-Bu

Chem 115

Halide abstraction can initiate a tandem epoxide rearrangementcarbonyl addition sequence to

give allylic alcohols:

OH
CHO

n-Bu

n-BuNC, 0 C to 45 C, 3 h;
1:1 AcOHH2O, 7823 C

TBSO

TBSO

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)
CH2Cl2, rt, 20 min;

H3C

75%

AgClO4 (5 mol%)
10 min

Negishi, E.-i.; Swanson, D. R.; Miller, S. R. Tetrahedron Lett. 1988, 29, 16311634.

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)
C6H6, 23 C, 13 h;

H3C

56%

H3C

CN
59%

The reaction with epoxides is proposed to be initiated by [Zr]+-induced epoxide opening, followed
by [1,2]-hydride shift and nucleophilic attack on the resulting aldehyde.

TMS
Zr

Cl

Zr

Cl

Zr

R
N

C N TMS

Cl
I

TMS

CH3
H
H
R
OZrR''Cp2

N+ I-

R
R

TMS
N

TMS

R'
Cp2ZrHCl

O
AgClO4

Cp2R''ZrCl

R
H
Cp2R''Zr+

Silver-catalyzed Addition to Aldehydes and Epoxides

Ph(CH2)2CHO,
AgClO4 (5 mol%)

AgClO4

OH
n-Bu

Ph

none
5 mol%

R''

CH3
OZrCp2Cl

time yield [%]

2h
10 min

R''

17
90

Cp2R''ZrCl

90%

R''
Maeta, H.; Hashimoto, T.; Hasegawa, T.; Suzuki, K. Tetrahedron Lett. 1992, 33, 59655968.

R
CH3
ZrR''Cp2

Silver-promoted chloride abstraction from organozirconocenes relieves steric congestion and forms
a Lewis-acidic cationic complex that activates aldehydes for 1,2-addition.

n-Bu

[1,2]-H-shift

CH3

Buchwald, S. L.; LaMaire, S. J. Tetrahedron Lett. 1987, 28, 295298.

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)
CH2Cl2, 23 C, 10 min;

OTBDPS

n-Bu

CH3 BnO CH3

TMSCN, 55 C, 24 h;
I2, 5 C, 20 min

I2

OH

OTBDPS

n-Bu

Similarly, Buchwald and LaMaire report the preparation of homologated nitriles by treatment of an
organozirconocene with cyanotrimethylsilane and iodine.

CH3 BnO CH3

CH3
92%

CH3
O

migratory
insertion

ZrCp2

CH3
OH

Wipf, P.; Xu, W. J. Org. Chem. 1993, 58, 825826.

Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree

4

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Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Transmetalation

Chem 115

Special procedures have been developed to enable asymmetric vinyl additions.

While steric bulk limits the scope of electrophiles that organozirconocenes may engage directly,
transmetalation enables a broad variety of transformations involving organometallic intermediates.

1. Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)
CH2Cl2, 23 C

Transmetalations of organozirconocenes to aluminum, boron, copper, mercury, nickel, palladium,

tin, and zinc have been reported.

Zn

2. (CH3)2Zn (1 equiv)
toluene, 78 C

Transmetalation to Zinc

3. Ti(Oi-Pr)4 (0.5 equiv)

ligand (5 mol%)
PhCH3, 78 C

Review: Wipf, P.; Kendall, C. Chem. Eur. J. 2002, 8, 17781784.

Transmetalation to zinc combines the facile formation of organozirconium compounds with the broad
synthetic utility of organozincs.

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)
CH2Cl2, 23 C, 1.5 h;

n-Bu

(CH3)2Zn, 65 C

n-Bu

ZnMe

Ph

CH3

Ph

0 C

4. PhCOCH3, 023 C

Ligand:

OH

CHO

CH3

O
O
O S NH HN S O

CH3

Ph

n-Bu

HO CH3

94%

HO CH3

CH3 OH

90%, 95% ee

Wipf, P.; Xu, W. Tetrahedron Lett. 1994, 35, 51975200.

Addition of substoichiometric zinc chloride dramatically enhances the rate of palladium-catalyzed
cross-coupling of organozirconocenes. It is believed that direct ZrPd transmetalation is
prohibitively slow due the steric demands of the zirconocene.

Et
Et

Br

ZrCp2Cl

CO2CH3 Pd(PPh3)4 (5 mol%)

Et

CH3

Et

CH3

CO2CH3

Li, H.; Walsh, P. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 83558361.

A drawback of in situ organozinc generation is that residual zirconocene complexes can
complicate further reactions. For example, zirconocene complexes can catalyze racemic
carbonyl additions, resulting in low enantioselectivities for otherwise robust asymmetric
organozinc additions.

> 97% E,E

Cp2ZrHCl
0.5 equiv ZnCl2, 1 h

82%

0.2 equiv ZnCl2, 2 h

72%

no ZnCl2, 6 h

< 2%

n-Bu
CH2Cl2, 22 C

Ligand

Negishi, E.; Okukado, N.; King, A. O.; Van Horn, D. E.; Spiegel, B. I. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1978,
100, 22542256.

H3C

yield

ZrCp2Cl

(CH3)2Zn
toluene
65 C

ee

n-Bu

Ligand (10 mol%)

30 C

CH3
N(CH3)2
OH

However, less bulky, electron-rich organozirconocenes undergo transmetalation to Pd or Ni

rapidly enough such that no organozinc intermediate is necessary.

n-Bu

ZnCH3

O
Ph

OH
77%

3%

80%

95%

n-Bu

Ph

H3C
Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)

EtO

C6H6, rt, 2 h

EtO

PhI, THF, 23 C, 12 h

ZrCp2Cl

EtO

Ph

Ni(PPh3)4 (cat.)

H3C

N(CH3)2
SH

99%
Negishi, E.; Takahashi, T.; Baba, S.; Van Horn, D. E.; Okukado, N. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1987, 109,
23932401.

Myers

Wipf, P.; Ribe, S. J. Org. Chem. 1998, 63, 64546455.

Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree

5

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Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Transmetalation to Copper

Chem 115

Ketones can be synthesized from acid halides and alkenes or alkynes:

Commonly used copper sources for transmetalation include CuBrS(CH3)2 and CuCN.
Reaction of the resulting organocopper intermediate with allyl halides leads to CC bond formation
by SN2' addition.

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)
THF, 23 C, 1 h;

Ph

H3C CH3
Ph

CH3
89

Br

H3C

Cp2ZrHCl

n-Pr

CH2Cl2

n-Pr

ZrCp2Cl

CuBrS(CH3)2
(15 mol%)

O
n-Pr

35 C
O

TMS

CH3

Ph
TMS
81%

Cl
Ph

H3C
:

CuCN, 23 C, 12 h

TMS

Sun, A.; Huang, X. Synthesis 2000, 6, 775777.

11

Wipf, P.; Xu, W. Synlett 1992, 9, 718721.

89%

Other Applications of Organozirconium Intermediates

Venanzi, L. M.; Lehmann, R.; Keil, R.; Lipshutz, B. H. Tetrahedron Lett. 1992, 33, 58575860.
Addition of an organolithium reagent often accelerates transmetalation to copper. In the following
example, n-BuLi is added to promote organocuprate formation in a hydrozirconation
transmetalationconjugate addition sequence en route to a prostaglandin.

H3C OTMS

n-BuLi (2 equiv); CuCN (1 equiv);

CH3Li (1 equiv)

CO2CH3
CH3
OTMS

TESO H

OBn
N

Synthesis of Cyclic Silyl Enol Ethers

Tandem asymmetric conjugate addition of alkenylzirconocenes to cyclic enones can be catalyzed
by Rh(I) to give silyl enol ethers in good yield with high enantioselectivity.

Hydrozirconation of readily available alkynyldioxaborolanes gives access to 1,1-bimetalloalkenes,

which can be used to synthesize trisubstituted alkenes.

ZrCp2Cl
B(pin)

Pd(PPh3)4
(0.5 equiv)

CuCN (0.1 equiv)

THF, 23 C, 12 h

n-Bu

B(pin)

90%

PhI (1.0 equiv)

NaOEt, EtOH
reflux, 3 h

1. [Rh(cod)Cl]2 (2.5 mol%)

R-segphos (6 mol%)

n-Bu

Cp2ClZr

n-Bu

O
OTMS

THF, 23 C

Ph

O
O

2. CH3Li (2.6 equiv), -78 C, 1 h

3. TMSCl (3 equiv), -78 C, 1 h

82%

Deloux, L.; Skrzypczak-Jankun, E.; Cheesman, B. V.; Srebnik, M.; Sabat, M. J. Am. Chem. Soc.
1994, 116, 1030210303.

Myers

OBn
N

Strom, A. E.; Hartwig, J. F. J. Org. Chem. 2013, 78, 89098914.

Babiak, K. A.; Behling, J. R.; Dygos, J. H.; McLaughlin, K. T.; Ng, J. S.; Kalish, V. J.; Kramer, S.
W.; Shone, R. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1990, 112, 74417442.

n-Bu

CH3NHOSO3H,
50 C, 0.5 h

CH3

CO2CH3

Br

CH3O

92%

71%

TESO

CH3
HN

Cp2ZrHCl
THF, 23 C, 1 h;

OCH3

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv), THF;

CH3

Anti-Markovnikov Hydroamination
Amination of zirconocene alkyl chloride intermediates can be achieved using commercially
available N-methylhydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid.

n-Bu

95%, 96% ee
Westmeier, J.; Pfaff, C.; Siewert, J.; von Zezschwitz,
P. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2013, 355, 26512658.

PPh2
PPh2

O
R-segphos

Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree

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Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Hydrozirconation Functional Group Compatibility

Reduction of most epoxides, isonitriles, aldehydes, ketones, nitriles and esters by Cp2ZrHCl is
competitive with hydrozirconation of alkenes and alkynes.

Triisopropylsilyl, t-butyl, and benzyl esters are tolerated with fast-reacting, unhindered CC
double and triple bonds as substrates.

Cp2ZrHCl

OTMS
Cp2ZrHCl

OTMS
80%

OZrCp2Cl

Cp2ClZr

H3C CH3

H3C CH3

Wipf, P.; Xu, W.; Smitrovich, J. H.; Lehmann, R.; Venanzi, L. M. Tetrahedron 1991, 50, 1935
1954.

Schwartz's reagent also reduces Evans' N-acyl oxazolidinones to give aldehydes:

O
Cp2ZrHCl (1.5 equiv)

THF, 23 C, 15 min

H3CO

85%

O
> 80%

(CH3)3SiH

OTIPS

ClCp2Zr

THF, 23 C

THF, 23 C

OTMS

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)

OTIPS

Alcohols and acids are deprotonated by Cp2ZrHCl with loss of H2; ,-unsaturated ketones
undergo 1,2-reduction with Cp2ZrHCl.
Acetals and THP ethers are inert to Cp2ZrHCl unless they are allylic or vinylic, in which case elimination can occur. Allylic or vinylic trimethylsilyl ethers can be reductively cleaved by
Cp2ZrHCl.

Chem 115

H3C

H3CO

Ph

92%

Uhlig, E.; Brglen, B.; Krger, C.; Betz, P. J. Organomet. Chem. 1990, 382, 7788.
Hydrozirconation of vinyloxiranes leads to formation of -hydroxycyclopropyl derivatives. Ring
formation proceeds with inversion of configuration at the allylic carbon.

Ph

In their synthesis of kainic acid, Xia and Ganem successfully reduced a lactam using Schwartz's
reagent in the presence of an isopropenyl group.

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)
CH2Cl2, 23 C;

O
CH3

NaHCO3

White, J. M.; Tunoori, A. R.; Georg, G. I. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 1199511996.

HO
Ph

CH3

Harada, S.; Kowase, N.; Tabuchi, N.; Taguchi, T.; Dobashi, Y.; Dobashi, A.; Hanzawa, Y.
Tetrahedron 1998, 54, 753766.

CH3
H

EtO2C
O

Cp2ZrHCl (1.5 equiv)

THF, 3015 C, 1 h

N
H

Tertiary amides can be reduced to aldehydes in the presence of excess Schwartz's reagent. Note
that amides can be selectively reduced in the presence of esters:

O
NEt2
OAc

Cp2ZrHCl (1.5 equiv)

CH3
H

EtO2C

TMSCN (2 equiv)
CH2Cl2, 1 h

O
H

THF, 23 C, 15 min

CH3
H

EtO2C

OAc
99%

Spletstoser, J. T.; White, J. M.; Runoori, A. R.; Georg, G. I. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129,
34083419.

HO2C

steps

N
H

kainic acid
Xia, Q.; Ganem, B. Org. Lett. 2001, 3, 485487.

CH3
H

EtO2C
NC

N
H
75%

Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree

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Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Chem 115

A hydrozirconationtransmetallationcross-coupling sequence was used in the synthesis of analogues of the natural product FR901464.

H
O

Cp2ClZr

Cp2ZrHCl

CH3

TESO
O

Cp2ZrHCl
THF, 23 C to 50 C, 2.5 h;

CH3

CH3
H3C

THF, 0 C, 40 min

TESO

I2, THF, 0 C, 15 min

O
CH3

HO

CH3

HO

H3C

CH3

65%
ZnCl2
THF, 0 C
10 min

ClZn

CH3

CH3
+

TESO

H3C

N3

CH3

1. ClCH2SO2Cl, pyr,
DMAP, THF, 2350 C, 3h
2. LiN3, DMPU, 50 C, 36 h
55% (2 steps)

Pd(PPh3)4, THF
023 C, 1 h

CH3
H3C
N3

CH3

steps

H3C

CH3
O

H3C
O
N
H

CH3 TESO
O

CH3
O

O
CH3

CH3

HO
O

FR901464

84%
Thompson, C. F.; Jamison, T. F.; Jacobsen, E. N. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 99749983.

A vinylzirconium compound was successfully coupled with a vinyl iodide en route to lissoclinolide. Schwartz's reagent was generated in situ by -hydride elimination of i-BuZrCp2Cl (inset).

1. i-BuZrCp2Cl

HO
TBSO

2. I2, THF

89%, 98% E-isomer

TBSO
i-BuZrCp2Cl

TBSO

OH

TBSO
Pd(PPh3)4 (5 mol%)
pyrrolidine, 23 C, 0.5 h
[Sonogashira coupling]

H3C

CH3

Cp
Zr Cl +
H
H3C
Cp

TBSO

ZrCp2Cl

Myers

ZrCp2Cl

cat. DIBAL-H

OH

steps

TBSO

O
O
lissoclinolide

Xu, C.; Negishi, E.-i. Tetrahedron Lett. 1999, 40, 431434.

Br

PdCl2(PPh3)2

HO
CH3

Br
TBSO

92%

90%

Cp
Zr Cl
Cp

steps

OTBS
Br
91%, > 98% stereoselectivity

Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree

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Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Carbozirconation
Negishi, E.-i. Arkivoc 2011, 8, 3453.

Diastereoselective addition to a ketone was achieved by hydrozirconation followed by in situ

transmetallation to zinc.

Cp2ZrHCl (1 equiv)
CH2Cl2, 23 C, 10 min;

BnO

BnO

Zr

R
Cl

H3C OH

H3C

General Reaction Scheme

(CH3)2Zn, 78 C, 10 min;

Chem 115

45%

R2

R1

[M]

RAlX2, cat. Cp2ZrCl2

4h, 23 C

R2

steps

R2

(CH3)3Al

OH

OH OH

[M]

R1

R1

Fostriecin (CI-920)

R2

R1

R1 = alkyl, aryl; R2 = alkyl, H; [M] = [Al], [Zr]

O
H3C OH

Carbometalation is the addition of a carbonmetal bond across a carboncarbon -bond. The

process is believed to be concerted.

Chavez, D. E.; Jacobsen, E. N. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 36673670.
A stoichiometric amount of trialkylaluminum reagent is needed, but only a catalytic amount of
Cp2ZrCl2 is required.
Hydrozirconation of nitriles provides metallo-imine complexes that can further react with acyl
chlorides. This strategy was used in the synthesis of a spirooxindole library by interception of the
imine intermediate through a FriedelCrafts cyclization with a pendant indole substituent.

Experimental evidence points toward a bimetallic mechanism:

Al(CH3)2Cl

CN
BnO

Cp2ZrHCl
CH2Cl2, 23 C;

N
Bn

Ph

OBn
Cl N

Cl

Cl

Zr
N
Bn

N
Bn O

12 h, 23 C

OBn

Ph

NH

Cl
Cl

Cl
CH3
Zr Cl Al
CH3
CH3

Al(CH3)3

Cl
Zr
CH3 R

O
carbometalation

Ph
61%
dr = 88:12

LaPorte, M. G.; Tsegay, S.; Hong, K. B.; Lu, C.; Fang, C.; Wang, L.; Xie, X.-Q.; Floreancig, P. E.
ACS Comb. Sci. 2013, 15, 344349.

Al(CH3)2Cl
Zr

Cl
Cl

H3C
R

Al(CH3)2
H

transmetalation

Cl
Zr
R
H3C

Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree

9

Myers

Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Thus, carboalumination of alkynes is limited to methylation in practice. Together, hydrozirconation

and carboalumination provide reliable access to two classes of trisubstituted olefins commonly
encountered in synthesis:

The reaction of trimethylaluminum with terminal alkynes proceeds with excellent stereo- and
regioselectivity.

n-Bu

(CH3)3Al
Cp2ZrCl2

CH3
n-Bu

Al(CH3)2

Pd(PPh3)4 (5 mol%)
ZnCl2 (1 equiv)

DCE, 23 C

CH3
n-Bu

Br

73%

CH3
[M]

Negishi, E.; Okukado, N.; King, A. O.; Van Horn, D. E.; Spiegel, B. I. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1978,
100, 22542256.

HO

DCE, 23 C

I2

CH3
Al(CH3)2

(H3C)2AlO

CH3

I2
HO

I
60%
>98% Z

Ma, S.; Negishi, E.-i. J. Org. Chem. 1997, 62, 784785.

Rand, C. L.; Van Horn, D. E.; Moore, M. W.; Negishi, E. J. Org. Chem. 1981, 46, 40934096.

Zirconium-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes (ZACA)

By contrast, olefins reliably give regiodefined carbometalation products even with higher-order
alkyls such as ethyl and propyl groups. Enantioselective methods employing chiral zirconocene
catalysts have been developed.
Negishi and coworkers have developed a protocol for asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes
giving functionalized products in moderate to high yields with synthetically useful enantiomeric
purities.

Carboalumination with Et3Al or Et2AlCl can proceed through a variety of mechanisms and usually
results in regioisomeric products. It has therefore found little use in organic synthesis.

DCE

AlEtCl +

n-Hex

85%
>98% E

AlCH3
O

n-Hex

Carbometalation

CH3

HO

H3C

Et

Hydrozirconation

CH3

reflux, 3 d

Et2AlCl
Cp2ZrCl2 (10 mol%)

[M]

CH3

Carbometalation is compatible with free hydroxyl groups. In the case of homopropargylic alcohols,
anti-carbometalation products can be obtained by thermal isomerization of the initial adducts:

(CH3)3Al (3 equiv)
Cp2ZrCl2 (25 mol%)

Chem 115

AlEtCl
Et

n-Hex

R3Al
cat. ()-(NMI)2ZrCl2;

R1

H3C

R
R1

O2

OH

()-(NMI)2ZrCl2:

DClD2O

Et
D

n-Hex
61%

Et

n-Hex

Cl Zr Cl

ee

CH3

6892%

7090%

CH2CH3

5690%

8595%

(CH2)nCH3

7485%

9095%

CH3
H3C

CH3

commercially available

30%

Metallocenes in regio- and stereoselective synthesis, Vol. 8, Takahashi, T. Ed.; Springer: Berlin;
New York, 2005; p.155.

Myers

Yield

CH3

H3C

Kondakov, D. Y.; Negishi, E.-i. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 15771578.
Kondakov, D. Y.; Negishi, E.-i. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 1077110772.

Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree

10

Myers

Hydrozirconation and Carbozirconation

Chem 115

Cyclic olefins are excellent substrates for ZACA. When heteroatoms are positioned to the newly
formed CM bond, irreversible elimination occurs to give terminal alkenes with good
stereoenrichment at the allylic position.

RMgCl (5 equiv)
(R)-[Zr] cat (10 mol%)
X

R
Zr

THF, 25 C, 612 h

Olefin

EtMgCl

(R)-[Zr]
catalyst

Cl

Yield

ee

CH3

65%

> 97%

CH3

75%

> 95%

73%

95%

Product

Grignard

Cl

HO

EtMgCl
N
n-nonyl

HN
n-nonyl
CH3

EtMgCl
HO

CH3
n-PrMgCl
O

CH3
HO

40%
98%
(60% brsm)

CH3
O

75%

EtMgCl

92%

OH
Stereoinduction is determined by the oxidative coupling step, wherein the substrate reacts with a
Zr-olefin complex formed upon -H elimination of Cp2ClZrR.

EtMgCl
L2ZrCl2

Zr
MgCl2
HCl

Zr
X

Morken, J. P.; Didiuk, M. T.; Hoveyda, A. H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1993, 115, 69976998.

Claudia Kleinlein, Matt Mitcheltree

11