Synthesis of cobaloxime-substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated acyl complexes via reactions of cobaloxime anions and/or hydrides with ynones, ynoates, and alpha,beta-unsaturated acyl electrophiles

Cobaloxime anions (pyr(dmg)(2)Co-Na+) and/or hydrides (pyr(dmg)(2)CoH) react with cinnamoyl chloride and a variety of ynones and ynoates to produce cobaloxime-substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated acyl complexes. The stereochemistry of the alkene produced by the ynone and ynoate hydrometalations can be controlled through choice of hydrometalation reaction conditions. Two of these new acyl complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography.