Preparation of functionalized dialkylzincs via a boron-zinc exchange. Reactivity and catalytic asymmetric addition to aldehydes

The hydroboration of olefins with Et(2)BH provides diethyl(alkyl)boranes 2 which readily undergo a boron-zinc exchange with Et(2)Zn providing a range of polyfunctional primary, secondary, and benzylic diorganozincs. The resulting diorganozincs 3 have been reacted with various electrophiles (allylic halides, acid chlorides, alkylidenemalonates, ethyl propiolate, nitroolefins) in the presence of CuCN:2LiCl with excellent yields. With secondary dialkylzincs prepared from diastereomerically pure diethyl(alkyl)boranes, the boron-zinc exchange occurs with loss of stereochemistry. The asymmetric addition of 3 to aldehydes in the presence of the chiral catalyst 55 furnishes optically active polyfunctional secondary alcohols (50 to over 96% ee).