Stereoselective preparation and reactions of configurationally defined dialkylzinc compounds

The reaction of cyclic and open-chain diastereomerically pure secondary organoboranes with diisopropylzinc allows the preparation of secondary dialkylzinc reagents with good to excellent retention of configuration as shown by deuterolysis and CuI- and Pd0-mediated reactions with electrophiles. The importance of a high boron-zinc exchange rate to obtain high diastereoselectivity has been shown. Improvement of the configurational stability and stereomeric purity of the zinc intermediates has been obtained by using mono-isopinocampheylborane ((-)-IpcBH2) providing optically active dialkylzinc compounds (up to 96% ee) with enhanced diastereoselectivities.