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Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Efficient Synthesis of All-Carbon Quaternary Centers via the Conjugate Addition of Functionalized Monoorganozinc Bromides
Published on: May 26, 2019
Alkene protection against acid using a bromide substituent: application in a total synthesis of
Hasanain A A Almohseni1, Hamad H Al Mamari, Anne Valade
1Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK. david.hodgson@chem.ox.ac.uk.
Abstract:
The presence of a bromide substituent, instead of a hydrogen or methyl group, on a carbon-carbon double bond, protects the alkene from addition reactions when exposed to trifluoroacetic acid. This concept is used to circumvent concomitant loss of unsaturation in a late-stage acid-catalysed 6,8- to 2,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane rearrangement towards (-)-6,7-dideoxysqualestatin H5. The inertness of the alkenyl bromide functionality is demonstrated through several synthetic transformations in the assembly of the rearrangement substrate. Completion of the natural product synthesis is facilitated by post-rearrangement removal of the bromide substituent through stereoselective C-C cross-coupling in the presence of ester and hydroxyl functionalities.
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Ions as Acids and Bases
Salts are ionic compounds composed of cations and anions, either of which may be capable of undergoing an acid or base ionization reaction with water. Aqueous salt solutions, therefore, may be acidic, basic, or neutral, depending on the relative acid-base strengths of the salt’s constituent ions. For example, dissolving the ammonium chloride in water results in its dissociation, as described by the equation:

