Additions of organocopper reagents and heteroatom nucleophiles to 1-phenylseleno-2-(p-toluenesulfonyl)ethyne.: Preparation of vinyl and allenic sulfones and formation of Michael, anti-Michael, and rearrangement products

1-Phenylseleno-2-(p-toluenesulfonyl)ethyne (4) was produced nearly quantitatively from p-(toluenesulfonyl)ethyne and benzeneselenenyl chloride. It underwent stereo- and regioselective syn-additions of organocopper reagents RCu(CN)Li to the beta-position of the sulfone moiety to afford adducts 5. Further reaction of the products with reagents RCu(SePh)Li resulted in substitution of the phenylseleno group with retention of configuration. Control of E,Z-stereochemistry in the product beta,beta-disubstituted vinyl sulfones is therefore achieved by the order of addition of the reagents. Selenoxide syn-elimination of adducts 5 afforded the corresponding allenic sulfones. The additions of amines and alkoxides to 4 produced the corresponding anti-Michael regioisomers (where attack occurred a to the sulfone group) as the major or sole products. The additions were highly stereoselective, proceeding by anti-addition in the anti-Michael series and by syn-addition in the corresponding Michael regioisomers. The reactions of 4 with thiolates and selenolates were more complex, affording rearranged adducts and Michael adducts as the major and minor products, respectively. The formation of the rearranged products can be rationalized by a series of addition-elimination processes. Phenylselenoethyne (43) underwent conjugate additions of pyrrolidine, sodium methoxide, sodium ethanethiolate, and benzeneselenolate anion, affording the corresponding cis isomers via anti-addition. The experiments with heteroatom nucleophiles and acetylenes 4 and 43 show that the phenylseleno group has a surprisingly large activating effect upon conjugate additions.