The relatively low tendency of an R-oxygen substituent
being incorporated in a cyclic structure to
participate in chelation also becomes apparent in
reactions of the acrolein dimer 33 with nucleophiles
(Scheme 14, Table 5).23 Only metals forming out
exceptionally facile chelates such as titanium or zinc
gave rise mainly to the anti-Felkin product 35, while
even with alkyllithium reagents the Felkin product
34 was still preferred.
Conformational effects allowing or precluding chelation
with oxygen or sulfur of a thioketal also must
play a pivotal role in nucleophilic additions to 36
(Scheme 15, Table 6).24 Small differences in the side
chain or in the nucleophile can have a dramatic effect
on the selectivity in this system. It is especially
striking to note the opposite selectivities when changing
the nucleophile from phenyllithium to phenylmagnesium
bromide (entries 5-6, 11-12). It has
been argued that Grignard compounds act as hard
acids and are thereforesin contrast to lithiumsnot
able to coordinate with the soft sulfur atom. However,
invoking a six-membered lithium chelate between the
thioketal oxygen and the side chain oxygen atom as
in 40 might be another rationalization for the observed
stereochemical results (Scheme 16)