Mechanistic Insight into Additions of Allylic Grignard Reagents to Carbonyl Compounds

Allylic Grignard reagents exhibit high reactivity and low selectivity in additions to carbonyl compounds. Additions of allylic Grignard reagents to carbonyl compounds were investigated using prenylmagnesium chloride as a mechanistic probe. When the carbonyl group is relatively unhindered, the addition proceeds through a six-membered transition state with allylic transposition. This process generally occurs with no diastereoselectivity because the reaction rates approach the diffusion limit. With hindered ketones, however, this pathway is disfavored, and the addition proceeds through a transition state resembling that of other Grignard reagents.