A-Phenols

Azo-compounds can be obtained by reduction of nitro-compounds, or by oxidation of hydrazo-compounds. They are usually prepared, however, by reacting a phenol or amine with a diazonium salt. The coupling usually takes place in the position para to the hydroxyl or amino group, but if this position is occupied it goes to the ortho position, e.g. 

The diazonium salts usually decompose when warmed with water to give a phenol and nitrogen. When treated with CuCl, CuBr, KI, the diazo group is replaced by chlorine, bromine or iodine respectively (Sandmeyer reaction). A diazonium sulphate and hydroxyl-amine give an azoimide. The diazonium salt of anthranilic acid (2-aminobenzoic acid) decomposes to give benzyne. ... 

Colourless solid m.p. 79 - C. Forms a quinone, duroquinone, a phenol, durenol and a carboxylic acid, durylic acid. Oxidized to pyro-mellitic dianhydride. 

Morphine is the principal alkaloid of opium. It acts both as a base and as a phenol and reacts to form methylmorphine (codeine ) and diacetylmorphine (diamorphine or heroin). 

The nitro-hydrocarbons are neutral substances but when a nitro-group is introduced into a phenol or amine the acidic properties are greatly increased or the basicity decreased. The presence of a nitro-group also tends to make halogen atoms in the same molecule much more reactive. 

McBain reports the following microtome data for a phenol solution. A solution of 5 g of phenol in 1000 g of water was skimmed the area skimmed was 310 cm and a 3.2-g sample was obtained. An interferometer measurement showed a difference of 1.2 divisions between the bulk and the scooped-up solution, where one division corresponded to 2.1 X 10 g phenol per gram of water concentration difference. Also, for 0.05, 0.127, and 0.268M solutions of phenol at 20°C, the respective surface tensions were 67.7, 60.1, and 51.6 dyn/cm. Calculate the surface excess Fj from (a) the microtome data, (b) for the same concentration but using the surface tension data, and (c) for a horizontally oriented monolayer of phenol (making a reasonable assumption as to its cross-sectional area). 

Diazonium compounds are usually very soluble in water, and cannot be readily isolated, since on warming their aqueous solutions, decomposition occurs with the formation of a phenol ... 

When an aqueous solution of a diazonium salt is added to an alkaline solution of a phenol, coupling occurs with formation of an azo-compound (p. 188). If ho vc cr the ntiueous solution of the diazonium salt, t. . ., />-bromohenzene diazonium chloride, is mixed with an excess of an aromatic hydrocarbon, and aqueous sodium hydroxide then added to the vigorously stirred mixture, the diazotate which is formed, e.g., BrC,H N OH, dissolves in the hydrocarbon and there undergoes decomposition with the formation of nitrogen and two free radicals. The aryl free radical then reacts with the hydrocarbon to give a... 

The Hoesch Reaction is employed for the introduction of the - COR group into the aromatic ring of phenol or a phenolic ether, and usually proceeds particularly readily with polyhydric phenols. If an ethereal solution of resorcinol (I)... 

For the preparation of 4-substituted coumarins, a phenol may be condensed with ethyl acetoacetate under the influence of sulphuric acid. Thus resorcinol (II) readily undergoes this condensation (which is represented diagrammatically above) to give 7-hydroxy-4-methyl-coumarin (III). Note that the coumarins, like all 2 pyrones, are systematically lactones. 

It is important to note that in these reactions salicylic acid is functioning as a phenol. 

Aqueous solutions (when obtainable) give no reaction with ferric chloride. This is an important distinction from ammonium salts (sec above). Salicylamide, being also a phenol, is however an exception (p. 344). 

Acidic Component. The filtrate from (a) or the first alkali extract from (h) will contain the acidic component, which will be either an acid or a phenol. Continue as follows ... 

If a phenol is not indicated, the solution may contain an aliphatic acid. Transfer to a distilling-flask, make definitely acid with dih H2SO4, and distil the volatile formic and acetic acids if present will distil over. If the distillation gives negative reactions, test the residual solution in the flask for oxalic, succinic, lactic, tartaric and citric acids and glycine, remembering that the solution is strongly acid. 

The procedure is not usually applicable to aminosulphonic acids owing to the interaction between the amino group and the phosphorus pentachloride. If, however, the chlorosulphonic acid is prepared by diazotisation and treatment with a solution of cuprous chloride in hydrochloric acid, the crystalline chlorosulphonamide and chlorosulphonanilide may be obtained in the usual way. With some compounds, the amino group may be protected by acetylation. Sulphonic acids derived from a phenol or naphthol cannot be converted into the sulphonyl chlorides by the phosphorus pentachloride method. 

Azo compounds (ArN=NAr) are prepared bj the interaction of a diazonium salt with a phenol in the presence of sodium hydroxide, for example ... 

By the rearrangement of an ester of a phenol in the presence of aluminium chloride (Fries reaction), phenolic ketones are produced ... 

The cleavage products are a phenol and an alkyl iodide, which will serve to characterise the ether. 

Pseudo-saccharin ethers. When pseudo-saccharin chloride is heated with an excess of a phenol, 0-aryl derivatives of saccharin are produced (compare Section 111,27, 7). 

By the condensation of a nitrile with a phenol or phenol ether in the presence of zinc chloride and hydrogen chloride a hydroxyaryl- or alkoxyaryl-ketone is produced. The procedure is termed the Hoesch reaction and is clearly an extension of the Gattermann aldehyde reaction (Section IV,121). The reaction gives the best results with polyhydric phenols and their ethers with simple monohydric phenols the imino ester hydrochloride is frequently the sole product for example ... 

By the Fries reaction. This is a variant of the Friedel-Craft reaction it consists in the conversion of an ester of a phenol to the corresponding o- and p-hydroxyketone, or a mixture of both, by treatment with anhydrous aluminium chloride ... 

A fairly general procedure consists in coupling a phenol or naphthol with a diazotised amine, reducing the product to an aminophenol or aminonaphthol, and oxidising the hydroxy compound with acid ferric chloride solution. This method is illustrated by the preparation of (3 (or 1 2)-naphthoquinone ... 

Salicylic acid. The preparation of salicylic acid by passing carbon dioxide into dry sodium phenoxide at 170-190° is the classical example of the Kolbe-Schmltt reaction. The latter is a method for introducing a carboxyl group directly into a phenol nucleus. 

From the acid chloride. The interaction of the acid chloride of au aromatic acid with the calculated quantity of an alcohol or a phenol aflFords a good yield of the ester, for example ... 

The preparation of 4-methylcoumarin is an example of the Pechmann reaction, which consists in the interaction of a phenol with a 3-ketonic ester In the presence of a condensing agent (sulphuric acid, aluminium chloride, phosphorus oxychloride or pho.sphoric oxide) ... 

Methylation with diazomethane may be carried out as follows (FUME CUPBOARD )-. Dissolve 2-3 g. of the compound (say, a phenol or a carboxylic acid) in a little anhydrous ether or absolute methanol, cool in ice, and add the ethereal solution of diazomethane in small portions until gas evolution ceases and the solution acquires a pale yellow colour. Test the coloured solution for the presence of excess of diazomethane by removing a few drops into a test-tube and introducing a glass rod moistened with glacial acetic acid immediate evolution of gas should... 

An ester is converted upon saponification into an alcohol and the salt of an acid, or the salts of both an acid and a phenol if it is an ester of a phenol. An anhydride upon hydrolysis yields only a salt of an acid. 

To hydrolyse an ester of a phenol (e.g., phenyl acetate), proceed as above but cool the alkaline reaction mixture and treat it with carbon dioxide until saturated (sohd carbon dioxide may also be used). Whether a solid phenol separates or not, remove it by extraction with ether. Acidify the aqueous bicarbonate solution with dilute sulphuric acid and isolate the acid as detailed for the ester of an alcohol. An alternative method, which is not so time-consuming, may be employed. Cool the alkaline reaction mixture in ice water, and add dilute sulphuric acid with stirring until the solution is acidic to Congo red paper and the acid, if aromatic or otherwise insoluble in the medium, commences to separate as a faint but permanent precipitate. Now add 5 per cent, sodium carbonate solution with vigorous stirring until the solution is alkaline to litmus paper and the precipitate redissolves completely. Remove the phenol by extraction with ether. Acidify the residual aqueous solution and investigate the organic acid as above. 

Preliminary indication of the presence of a phenol ester may be obtained by heating the compound with soda-lime esters of phenols and also aromatic hydroxy-acids usually give the phenol. (Likewise amides, Imides, nitriles, substituted hydrazines, uretheines, etc. eifiord ammonia.)... 

An indication whether a water-insoluble compound is an acid or a phenol (or enol) will be obtained from the Solubihty Tests water-soluble acids will bberate carbon dioxide from 5 per cent, sodium bicarbonate solution see Section III,85,(i). ... 

Dissolve 0 -1 g. of the compound in 10-15 ml. of water and add bromine water until the colour of the latter persists. A white precipitate will form if a phenol is present. 

The derivative selected in any particular instance should be one which clearly singles out one compound from among all the possibilities and thus enables an unequivocal choice to be made. The melting points of the derivatives to be compared should differ by at least 5-10°. Whenever possible, a derivative should be selected which has a neutralisation equivalent as well as a melting point (e.g., an aryloxyacetic acid derivative of a phenol. Section IV,114,4, or a hydrogen S nitrophthalate of an alcohol. Section 111,25,5). 

Benzene and some of its derivatives react with solutions of mercuric nitrate in concentrated nitric acid to give nitrophenols. These reactions, known as oxynitrations may proceed by mercuration followed by nitroso-demercuration the resulting nitroso compound becomes a diazonium compound and then a phenol, which is nitrated. ... 

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