Indium‐Mediated Reactions of Enamines in the Presence of Acid

Abstract

AbstractThe reaction of enamines with allyl bromide and metallic indium in THF to afford homoallylamines was greatly accelerated by the addition of one equivalent of a suitable carboxylic acid, such as acetic acid. It was established that the likely mechanism consists of a nucleophilic addition of an indium sesquihalide to the iminium salt formed by protonation of the enamine. Substituted allyl bromides also reacted with complete allylic transposition (γ‐addition). In contrast to indium‐mediated allylation of carbonyl compounds in which only two of the three allyl groups of the sesquihalide are involved, all three allyl groups are involved in the reaction with enamines. As a result only 2/3 equiv of indium are required. This allylation was also performed with zinc, tin, bismuth, and aluminum in the presence of a catalytic amount of InCl3 instead of indium. However, these reactions invariably gave lower yields. The analogous reaction of methyl bromoacetate instead of allyl bromide was also studied. This “Reformatsky‐type” process was also greatly accelerated by the addition of one equivalent of acetic acid. In this case, the yields remained moderate for both indium and zinc.