Reductive ethylation of homoallyl alcohols with a disubstituted double bond with ethylmagnesium bromide in the presence of titanium(IV) isopropoxide

Homoallyl and bishomoallyl alcohols with a disubstituted double bond treated with ethylmagnesium bromide in the presence of titanium(IV) isopropoxide are converted into the products of a reductive ethylation of the olefin fragment. Under similar conditions esters of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids undergo a successive cyclopropanation of the ester group and reductive ethylation of the double carbon-carbon bond and yield 1-(3-ethylalkyl)cyclopropanols. The features of the observed reactions are explained in the framework of the carbometallation mechanism of the double carbon-carbon bond by the action of dialkoxytitanacyclopropane reagents.