On the Virtue of Indium in Reduction Reactions. A Comparison of Reductions Mediated by Indium and Zinc: Is Indium Metal an Effective Catalyst for Zinc Induced Reductions?
Indium(0)‐mediated reductions have been reported for the transformation of several functional groups (imines, oximes, nitro groups, isoxazolidines, and conjugated alkenes, among others), prompted by the opportunity of performing the reactions in aqueous media and green conditions. We describe here the comparison of several reactions using indium or the less expensive zinc, carried out in order to evaluate
C-Phenyl-N-erythrosylnitrone 3 behaves as a C1,C1' bis-electrophile, undergoing a doubleaddition of Grignard reagents in a domino fashion to afford acyclic hydroxylamines 4. The reaction proceeds at 0 degrees C with variable degrees of diastereoselectivity, from moderate to good, mainly depending on the organomagnesium reagent used. The usefulness of compounds 4 has been exemplified with the synthesis of