Acid chloride, alcohols from reaction with ammonia

In the laboratory, amides and esters are usually prepared from the acid chloride rather than from the acid itself. Both the preparation of the acid chloride and its reactions with ammonia or an alcohol are rapid, essentially irreversible reactions. It is more convenient to carry out these two steps than the single slow, reversible reaction with the acid. For example n... 

Starting from 6-methoxynaphth-2-oic acid (64), the 1,2,3,4,5,8-hexahydro-derivative (65) was prepared by reduction with excess lithium and t-butyl alcohol in liquid ammonia. Compound (65) was converted into the keto-acid (66) by hydrolysis. Reduction of (66) with lithium tri-t-butoxyaluminium hydride gave the hydroxy-acid (67). The acetate derivative (68) was converted into the acid chloride (69) by reaction with oxalyl chloride in pyridine. Treatment of this compound with diazomethane afforded the diazoketone (70). Decomposition of the latter with copper powder in cyclohexane gave the cyclopropyl ketone (71) in yields of 70—80%. The acetate function was then hydrolysed, and the resulting hydroxy-ketone (72) was oxidized to the cyclopropyl diketone (73) with Jones reagent. Treatment of (73) with a weakly acidic acetone solution or adsorption on to basic alumina produced the enedione (74) via a retrograde... 

Chloroacetate esters are usually made by removing water from a mixture of chloroacetic acid and the corresponding alcohol. Reaction of alcohol with chloroacetyl chloride is an anhydrous process which Hberates HCl. Chloroacetic acid will react with olefins in the presence of a catalyst to yield chloroacetate esters. Dichloroacetic and trichloroacetic acid esters are also known. These esters are usehil in synthesis. They are more reactive than the parent acids. Ethyl chloroacetate can be converted to sodium fluoroacetate by reaction with potassium fluoride (see Fluorine compounds, organic). Both methyl and ethyl chloroacetate are used as agricultural and pharmaceutical intermediates, specialty solvents, flavors, and fragrances. Methyl chloroacetate and P ionone undergo a Dar2ens reaction to form an intermediate in the synthesis of Vitamin A. Reaction of methyl chloroacetate with ammonia produces chloroacetamide [79-07-2] C2H ClNO (53). 

Esters are prepared by reaction of aldonic acids or lactones with an alcohol in the presence of hydrogen chloride 80 the reaction is slower with 1,4-lactones. Amides are readily formed from lactones by reaction with liquid ammonia followed by evaporation of the solvent.81 D-Gluconamide has also been prepared by treatment of D-glucono-1,5-lactone with concentrated ammonium hydroxide and subsequent precipitation with ethanol.82 A-Substituted aldonamides may be obtained by reaction of the aldono-lactones with ethanolamine, diethanolamine, and related species.83... 

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