Acidity of aldehydes

Pyrroles react with the conjugate acids of aldehydes and ketones to give carbinols (e.g. 67) which cannot normally be isolated but which undergo proton-catalyzed loss of water to give reactive electrophiles (e.g. 68). Subsequent reaction may lead to polymeric products, but in the case of reaction of pyrrole and acetone a cyclic tetramer (69) is formed in high yield. 

In addition to the elimination of water, alcohols tend to fragment by cleaving one of the bonds between the hydroxy carbon and an adjacent carbon. The resulting cations are the conjugate acids of aldehydes and ketones and are stabilized because they satisfy the octet rule at all of the atoms. Figure 15.12 shows the mass spectrum of 2-butanol. 

The n.m.r. spectra of the conjugate acids of aldehydes can similarly be observed in the same medium at — 60°. The spectrum of acetaldehyde, for example, clearly indicates the presence of both the cis and trans isomers (11) and (12) of its conjugate acid. 

Acidity of Aldehydes and Ketones Enolate Ions CHAPTER 18... 

HCOOCHjCHj. Colourless liquid with the odour of peach-kernels b.p. 54 C, Prepared by boiling ethanol and methanoic acid in the presence of a little sulphuric acid the product is diluted with water and the insoluble ester separated and distilled. Used as a fumigant and larvicide for dried fruits, tobacco and foodstuffs. It is also used in the synthesis of aldehydes. 

SchifT s reagent A solution of rosaniline in water decolorized with sulphurous acid. Aliphatic aldehydes and aldose sugars give a magenta colour with this reagent with aromatic aldehydes and aliphatic ketones the colour develops more slowly aromatic ketones do not react. 

NH2-C0-NH NH2,CH5N30. Colourless crystalline substance m.p. 96" C. Prepared by the electrolytic reduction of nitrourea in 20% sulphuric acid at 10 "C. Forms crystalline salts with acids. Reacts with aldehydes and ketones to give semicarbazones. Used for the isolation and identification of aldehydes and ketones. 

The term Knoevenagel Condensation was originally applied to the base-catalysed condensation of the carbonyl ( CO) group of aldehydes and ketones with the reactive methylene group of malonic acid, with loss of w ater ... 

Gently warm a mixture of 32 g. (32 ml.) of ethyl acetoacetate and 10 g. of aldehyde-ammonia in a 400 ml. beaker by direct heating on a gauze, stirring the mixture carefully with a thermometer. As soon as the reaction starts, remove the heating, and replace it when the reaction slackens, but do not allow the temperature of the mixture to exceed 100-no the reaction is rapidly completed. Add to the mixture about twice its volume of 2A -hydrochloric acid, and stir the mass until the deposit either becomes solid or forms a thick paste, according to the quality of the aldehyde-ammonia employed. Decant the aqueous acid layer, repeat the extraction of the deposit with more acid, and again decant the acid, or filter off the deposit if it is solid. Transfer the deposit to a conical flask and recrystallise it twice from ethanol (or methylated spirit) diluted with an equal volume of water. The i,4-dihydro-collidine-3,5-dicarboxylic diethyl ester (I) is obtained as colourless crystals, m.p. 130-131°. Yield 12 5 g,... 

Traces of aldehyde are produced. If ether of a high degree of purity is required, it should l>e further shaken with 0-5 per cent, potassium permanganate solution (to convert the aldehyde into acid), then with i> per cent, sodium hydroxide solution, and finally with water. 

Reduction of aldehydes with iron and glacial acetic acid, for example ... 

By the controlled oxidation of primary alcohols with a solution of potassium or sodium dichromate in dilute sulphuric acid. To avoid the further oxidation to the corresponding acid, the aldehyde is removed as rapidly as possible by distillation through a fractionating column, for example ... 

It is marketed as a 35-40 per cent, solution in water (formalin). The rpactions of formaldehyde are partly typical of aldehydes and partly peculiar to itself. By evaporating an aqueous solution paraformaldehyde or paraform (CHjO), an amorphous white solid is produced it is insoluble in most solvents. When formaldehyde is distilled from a 60 per cent, solution containing 2 per cent, of sulphuric acid, it pol5unerises to a crystalline trimeride, trioxane, which can be extracted with methylene chloride this is crystalline (m.p. 62°, b.p. 115°), readily soluble in water, alcohol and ether, and devoid of aldehydic properties ... 

Clemmensen reduction of aldehydes and ketones. Upon reducing aldehydes or ketones with amalgamated zinc and concentrated hydrochloric acid, the main products are the hydrocarbons (>C=0 —> >CHj), but variable quantities of the secondary alcohols (in the case of ketones) and unsaturated substances are also formed. Examples are ... 

By oxidation of the methyl derivative of an aromatic hydrocarbon with a solution of chromic anhydride in acetic anhydride and acetic acid. The aldehyde formed is immediately converted into the (/m-diacetate, which is stable to oxidation. The diacetate is collected and hydrolysed with sulphuric acid, for example ... 

Aromatic alcohols are insoluble in water and usually burn with a smoky flame. Their boiling points are comparatively high some are solids at the ordinary temperature. Many may be oxidised by cautious addi-tion of dilute nitric acid to the corresponding aldehyde upon neutralis-tion of the excess of acid, the aldehyde may be isolated by ether extraction or steam distillation, and then identified as detailed under Aromatic Aldehydes, Section IV,135. 

Quinoline derivatives may be synthesised by heating aii aromatic amine with an aldehyde or a mixture of aldehydes in the presence of concentrated hydrochloric or sulphuric acid this synthesis is known as the Doebner - Miller reaction. Thus aniline and paraldehyde afford 2-methylquinohne or quinaldine. 

The condensation of aldehydes and ketones with succinic esters in the presence of sodium ethoxide is known as the Stobbe condensation. The reaction with sodium ethoxide is comparatively slow and a httlo reduction of the ketonic compound to the carbinol usually occurs a shorter reaction time and a better yield is generally obtained with the more powerful condensing agent potassium ieri.-butoxide or with sodium hydride. Thus benzophenone condenses with diethyl succinate in the presence of potassium [Pg.919]

The imides, primaiy and secondary nitro compounds, oximes and sulphon amides of Solubility Group III are weakly acidic nitrogen compounds they cannot be titrated satisfactorily with a standard alkaU nor do they exhibit the reactions characteristic of phenols. The neutral nitrogen compounds of Solubility Group VII include tertiary nitro compounds amides (simple and substituted) derivatives of aldehydes and ketones (hydrazones, semlcarb-azones, ete.) nitriles nitroso, azo, hydrazo and other Intermediate reduction products of aromatic nitro compounds. All the above nitrogen compounds, and also the sulphonamides of Solubility Group VII, respond, with few exceptions, to the same classification reactions (reduction and hydrolysis) and hence will be considered together. 

Bisulphite compounds of aldehydes and ketones. These substances are decomposed by dilute acids into the corresponding aldehydes or ketones with the liberation of sulphur dioxide. The aldehyde or ketone may be isolated by steam distillation or by extraction with ether. Owing to the highly reactive character of aldehydes, the bisulphite addition compounds are best decomposed with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution so um carbonate solution is generally employed for the bisulphite compounds of ketones. 

Apart from the thoroughly studied aqueous Diels-Alder reaction, a limited number of other transformations have been reported to benefit considerably from the use of water. These include the aldol condensation , the benzoin condensation , the Baylis-Hillman reaction (tertiary-amine catalysed coupling of aldehydes with acrylic acid derivatives) and pericyclic reactions like the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and the Qaisen rearrangement (see below). These reactions have one thing in common a negative volume of activation. This observation has tempted many authors to propose hydrophobic effects as primary cause of ftie observed rate enhancements. 

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