Reductive Generation of Enolates Using a Chromium(III) Ate-Type Reagent as a Reductant and Reactions of the Enolates with Electrophiles¹

Abstract

The chromium ate-type reagent “Bu6CrLi3” reacted cleanly with ketones and esters bearing a leaving group at the α-position to produce enolates under mild conditions, where the chromium ate reagent acts as a formal two-electron reductant. In a stepwise manner, the generated enolates reacted with a variety of electrophiles with high selectivity.