Alcohols by acylation

Resolution of racemic alcohols by acylation (Table 6) is as popular as that by hydrolysis. Because of the simplicity of reactions ia nonaqueous media, acylation routes are often preferred. As ia hydrolytic reactions, selectivity of esterification may depend on the stmcture of the acylatiag agent. Whereas Candida glindracea Upase-catalyzed acylation of racemic-cx-methylhenzyl alcohol [98-85-1] (59) with butyric acid has an enantiomeric value E of 20, acylation with dodecanoic acid increases the E value to 46 (16). Not only acids but also anhydrides are used as acylatiag agents. Pseudomonasfl. Upase (PFL), for example, catalyzed acylation of a-phenethanol [98-85-1] (59) with acetic anhydride ia 42% yield and 92% selectivity (74). 

Pyridine is more nucleophilic than an alcohol toward the carbonyl center of an acyl chloride. The product that results, an acylpyridinium ion, is, in turn, more reactive toward an alcohol than the original acyl chloride. The conditions required for nucleophilic catalysis therefore exist, and acylation of the alcohol by acyl chloride is faster in the presence of pyridine than in its absence. Among the evidence that supports this mechanism is spectroscopic observation of the acetylpyridinium ion. An even more effective catalyst is 4-dimeftiyIaminopyridine (DMAP), which functions in the same wsy but is more reactive because of the electron-donating dimethylamino substituent. ... 

Enantioenriched alcohols and amines are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of bioactive compounds. While some of them are available from nature s chiral pool , the large majority is accessible only by asymmetric synthesis or resolution of a racemic mixture. Similarly to DMAP, 64b is readily acylated by acetic anhydride to form a positively charged planar chiral acylpyridinium species [64b-Ac] (Fig. 43). The latter preferentially reacts with one enantiomer of a racemic alcohol by acyl-transfer thereby regenerating the free catalyst. For this type of reaction, the CsPhs-derivatives 64b/d have been found superior. 

Scheme 3.31. Synthesis of p-3ra no alcohols by acylation of silylcuprates (Boc = t-butoxycarbonyl) [114d, llSaj.

Kinetic resolution of racemic alcohols by acylation Few steps from chiral diols... 

Furutani, T., Furui, M., Ooshima, H. and Kato, J. (1996) A-acylation of 8-amino alcohol by acyl migration following enzyme-catalysed esterification. Enzyme Microb. Technol., 19, 578-584. 

Esters are also formed by the reaction of alcohols with acyl chlorides... 

The reaction of alcohols with acyl chlorides is analogous to their reaction with p toluenesulfonyl chloride described earlier (Section 8 14 and Table 15 2) In those reactions a p toluene sulfonate ester was formed by displacement of chloride from the sulfonyl group by the oxygen of the alcohol Carboxylic esters arise by displacement of chlonde from a carbonyl group by the alcohol oxygen... 

Section 20 7 Esters occur naturally or are prepared from alcohols by Fischer estenfi cation or by acylation with acyl chlorides or acid anhydrides (see Table 20 3)... 

The synthesis of 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone [89-84-9] (21) by acylation reactions of resorcinol has been extensively studied. The reaction is performed using acetic anhydride (104), acetyl chloride (105), or acetic acid (106). The esterification of resorcinol by acetic anhydride followed by the isomerization of the diacetate intermediate has also been described in the presence of zinc chloride (107). Alkylation of resorcinol can be carried out using ethers (108), olefins (109), or alcohols (110). The catalysts which are generally used include sulfuric acid, phosphoric and polyphosphoric acids, acidic resins, or aluminum and iron derivatives. 2-Chlororesorcinol [6201-65-1] (22) is obtained by a sulfonation—chloration—desulfonation technique (111). 1,2,4-Trihydroxybenzene [533-73-3] (23) is obtained by hydroxylation of resorcinol using hydrogen peroxide (112) or peracids (113). 

Substitution at the Alcohol Group. Acylation of the OH group by acylating agents such as acid chlorides or anhydrides is one of the important high yielding substitution reactions at the OH group of lactic acid and its functional derivatives. AUphatic, aromatic, and other substituted derivatives can be produced. 

Esters of / fZ-amyl alcohol can be obtained by acylation of 2-methyl-2-butene in the presence of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (44). The esters produced, in high yields, from reaction of amyl alcohols with carboxyHc anhydrides, are used as intermediates for preparation of pyryflum salts (45,46) and alkaloids (47). Tria2oles prepared by acylation of 3-methyl-1-butanol are useful as herbicides (48). 

Table 6. Optically Active Alcohols and Esters Produced by Acylation...

FRIEDEL - CRAFTS Alkylation-Acylation Alkylation or acylation ol aromatic compounds by means of alryl halides, alcohols.alkenes, acyl halides in the presence of Lewis acids... 

The 2-iodobenzoate is introduced by acylation of the alcohol with the acid (DCC, DMAP, CH2CI2, 25°, 96% yield) it is removed by oxidation with CI2 (MeOH, H2O, Na2C03, pH > 7.5). ... 

Although the previous two sections of this chapter emphasized hydrolytic processes, two mechanisms that led to O- or N-acylation were considered. In the discussion of acid-catalyzed ester hydrolysis, it was pointed out that this reaction is reversible (p. 475). Thus, it is possible to acylate alcohols by reaction with a carboxyhc acid. To drive the reaction forward, the alcohol is usually used in large excess, and it may also be necessary to remove water as it is formed. This can be done by azeotropic distillation in some cases. 

There are alternatives to the addition-elimination mechanism for nucleophilic substitution of acyl chlorides. Certain acyl chlorides are known to react with alcohols by a dissociative mechanism in which acylium ions are intermediates. This mechanism is observed with aroyl halides having electron-releasing substituents. Other acyl halides show reactivity indicative of mixed or borderline mechanisms. The existence of the SnI-like dissociative mechanism reflects the relative stability of acylium ions. 

We said in Section 17.4 that carboxylic acids are reduced by L1AIH4 to give primary alcohols, but we deferred a discussion of the reaction mechanism at that time. In fact, the reduction is a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction in which —H replaces -OH to give an aldehyde, which is further reduced to a primary alcohol by nucleophilic addition. The aldehyde intermediate is much more reactive than the starting acid, so it reacts immediately and is not isolated. 

The wide substrate tolerance of lipases is demonstrated by the resolution of organometallic substrates [129-131]. The presence of tin, selenium, or tellurium in the structure of secondary alcohols does not inhibit the lipase activity and enantiopure organometallic alcohols were obtained by acylation in organic media (Figure 6.48). 

Acyl halides are reduced to alcohols by L1A1H4 or NaBH4, as well as by other metal hydrides (Table 19.5), but not by borane. 

Tao B, Ruble JC, Hole DA, Fu GC (1999) Nonenzymatic kinetic resolution of propargylic alcohols by a planar-chiral DMAP Derivative crystallographic characterization of the acylated catalyst. J Am Chem Soc 121 5091-5092... 

Bellemin-Laponnaz S, Twedel J, Ruble JC, Breitling FM, Fu GC (2000) The kinetic resolution of allylic alcohols by a non-enzymatic acylation catalyst application to natural product synthesis. Chem Conunun 1009-1010... 

Ketones can also be prepared from acyl chlorides by reaction at low temperature using an excess of acyl chloride. Tetrahydrofuran is the preferred solvent.91 The reaction conditions must be carefully controlled to prevent formation of tertiary alcohol by addition of a Grignard reagent to the ketone as it is formed. 

---