Are Organozirconium Reagents Applicable in Current Organic Synthesis?

Abstract

AbstractThe search for mild, user-friendly, easily accessible, and robust organometallic reagents is an important feature of organometallic chemistry. Ideally, new methodologies employing organometallics should be developed with respect to practical applications in syntheses of target compounds. In this short review, we investigate if organozirconium reagents can fulfill these criteria. Organozirconium compounds are typically generated via in situ hydrozirconation of alkenes or alkynes with the Schwartz reagent. Alkyl and alkenylzirconium reagents have proven to be convenient in conjugate additions, allylic substitutions, cross-coupling reactions, and additions to carbonyls or imines. Furthermore, the Schwartz reagent itself is a useful reducing agent for polar functional groups.1 Introduction2 Synthesis and Generation of the Schwartz Reagent3 Structure and Properties of Cp2Zr(H)Cl4 Reactivity of Organozirconium Reagents4.1 Asymmetric Conjugate Addition4.2 Asymmetric Allylic Alkylations4.3 Desymmetrization Reactions4.4 Cross-Coupling Reactions4.5 1,2-Additions5 Conclusions