Acetophenone formation

A PEG-SCCO2 system has also been used in the aerobic oxidation of styrene (Figure 8.7). In the presence of cuprous chloride co-catalyst the reaction favours acetophenone formation, whereas in the absence of copper benzaldehyde is favoured. The catalyst could be recycled five times and it was suggested that the PEG acts to prevent the palladium catalyst from decomposing and also assists in product separation. 

The initial rate of acetophenone formation in this system conforms with equation (297). A sequential mechanism is proposed, equation (298), in which an initially formed catalyst-styrene adduct reacts with oxygen. 

Scheme 2.11 Acetophenone formation during HC02Me/HF/BF3 formylation of anisoie...

Aldehydes and ketones may be converted into the corresponding primary amines by reduction of their oximes or hydrazones (p. 93). A method of more limited application, known as the Leuckart Reaction, consists of heating the carbonyl compound with ammonium formate, whereby the formyLamino derivative is formed, and can be readily hydrolysed by acids to the amine. Thus acetophenone gives the i-phenylethylformamide, which without isolation can be hydrolysed to i-phenylethylamine. 

Required Acetophenone, 30 g. ammonium formate, 50 g. benzene, 30 ml. hydrochloric acid, 30 ml. ether, 100 ml., sodium hydroxide. 

Aldehydes and ketones may frequently be identified by their semicarbazones, obtained by direct condensation with semicarbazide (or amino-urea), NH,NHCONH a compound which is a monacidic base and usually available as its monohydrochloride, NHjCONHNH, HCl. Semicarbazones are particularly useful for identification of con jounds (such as acetophenone) of which the oxime is too soluble to be readily isolated and the phenylhydrazone is unstable moreover, the high nitrogen content of semicarbazones enables very small quantities to be accurately analysed and so identified. The general conditions for the formation of semicarbazones are very similar to those for oximes and phenylhydrazones (pp. 93, 229) the free base must of course be liberated from its salts by the addition of sodium acetate. 

The Mannich Reaction involves the condensation of formaldehyde with ammonia or a primary or secondary amine and with a third compound containing a reactive methylene group these compounds are most frequently those in which the methylene group is activated by a neighbouring keto group. Thus when acetophenone is boiled in ethanolic solution with paraformaldehyde and dimethylamine hydrochloride, condensation occurs readily with the formation of... 

The preparation of acetophenone (p. 255) is a modification of this method, the alkyl halide being replaced by an acid chloride, with the consequent formation of a ketone. 

Schiff s reagent. Add about 1 ml. of SchifTs reagent to about 1 ml. of acetone and note the very slow formation of a magenta colour. Neither acetophenone nor benzophenone reacts in this way. 

Anilines react with ct-haloacetophenones to give 2-arylindoles. In a typical procedure an W-phenacylaniline is heated with a tw o-fold excess of the aniline hydrobromide to 200-250°C[1]. The mechanism of the reaction was the subject of considerable investigation in the 1940s[2]. A crucial aspect of the reaction seems to be the formation of an imine of the acetophenone which can isomerize to an aldimine intermediate. This intermediate apparently undergoes cyclization more rapidly (path bl -> b2) than its precursor (Scheme 7.3). Only with very reactive rings, e.g, 3,5-dimethoxyaniline, has the alternative cydiz-ation (path al a2) to a 3-arylindole been observed and then only under modified reaction conditions[3],... 

Preparation of Amines. Amines are prepared by heating aUphatic, aromatic, or cycHc ketones with ammonium formate, formamide, or an A/-substituted ammonium formate at 165—190°C (Leuckart reaction). For example, cx-methylbenzylamine is prepared by the reaction of acetophenone with ammonium formate. 

Ethylbenzene Hydroperoxide Process. Figure 4 shows the process flow sheet for production of propylene oxide and styrene via the use of ethylbenzene hydroperoxide (EBHP). Liquid-phase oxidation of ethylbenzene with air or oxygen occurs at 206—275 kPa (30—40 psia) and 140—150°C, and 2—2.5 h are required for a 10—15% conversion to the hydroperoxide. Recycle of an inert gas, such as nitrogen, is used to control reactor temperature. Impurities ia the ethylbenzene, such as water, are controlled to minimize decomposition of the hydroperoxide product and are sometimes added to enhance product formation. Selectivity to by-products include 8—10% acetophenone, 5—7% 1-phenylethanol, and <1% organic acids. EBHP is concentrated to 30—35% by distillation. The overhead ethylbenzene is recycled back to the oxidation reactor (170—172). 

The methylhydrazone of acetophenone (112) underwent ready reaction with n-butyl-lithium giving the dianion (113) reaction with acid derivatives such acid chlorides or esters resulted in pyrazole (114) formation whereas with aldehydes, pyrazolines were obtained (76SC5). With dichloromethyleneiminium salts (115), 5-dimethylaminopyrazoles... 

Nuclear halogenation of acetophenone depends on formation of the aluminum chloride complex. If less than one equivalent of aluminum chloride is used, side-chain halogenation occurs. 3-Bromoacetophenone has been prepared from 3-aminoaceto-phenone by the Sandmeyer reaction. The synthesis described here has been taken from work of the submitters, who have used it to prepare many 3-bromo- and 3-chloroacetophenones and benzaldehydes, as well as more highly halogenated ones (Notes 7 and 8). 

The reaction products are the same for both direct irradiation and acetophenone sensitization. When the reactant B is used in homochiral form, the product D is nearly racemic (6% e.e.). Relate the formation of the cyclobutanones to the more normal products of type E and E Why does the 5-aryl substituent favor formation of the cyclobutanones Give a complete mechanism for formation of D which is consistent with the stereochemical result. 

The acid-catalyzed reaction of acetophenone with acyclic secondary amines results in the formation of the expected enamine and a rearrangement product. The latter product arises from the transfer of one of the amino N-alkyl groups to the cnamine s carbon to produce a ketimine (53a). 

The coupling of enamines with aromatic diazonium salts has been used for the syntheses of monoarylhydrazones of a-diketones (370,488-492) and a-ketoaldehydes (488,493). Cleavage of the initial enamine double bond and formation of the phenylhydrazone of acetone and acetophenone has been reported with the enamines of isobutyraldehyde and 2-phenylpropionalde-hyde. Rearrangement of the initial coupling product to the hydrazone tautomer is not possible in these examples. 

Chloro-5-nitrobenzaldehyde, -acetophenone, or -benzophenone derivatives treated with 2-aminothiophenol under alkaline conditions provided good yields of the corresponding dibenzo[(3,/][l,4]thiepins. Similar treatment of 2-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzophenone (318) provided 58% of dibenzo[(3,/][l,4]thiepin 321 and 20% of phenothiazine 323. Its formation can be easily explain by the Smiles rearrangement of the initially formed intermediate 320 into diphenylamine derivative 322, followed by denitrocyclization reaction leading to the corresponding product of denitrocyclization 323 (Scheme 49). When the reaction was done in pyridine, only this product was isolated in 50% yield (57JCS3818). 

The Willgerodt reaction starts with the formation of an enamine 4 from the ketone, e.g. from acetophenone 3. The further course of the reaction cannot be described by a single mechanism that would apply to all examples known. For aryl methyl ketones 3 the mechanism for the Kindler variant is formulated as follows ... 

---