Alcohols interconversions

The alcohol dehydrogenase isolated from horse fiver (LADH) [E.C.l.1.1.1.], MW 80,000, is available as a highly purified, crystalhne material composed of two (or more) isozymes (57), one of which is present in >90%. The general physical and chemical properties of this zinc enz5une have been reviewed by Sund and Theorell (35). This nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide oxidoreductase catalyzes the aldehyde-alcohol interconversion shown in Eq. (16). 

Another interesting reaction of the pyrylium salt (396) has been reported (73TL2195). With nitrous acid in alcohol, (396) gave an intermediate (402) which on heating in acetic acid gave the diacylisoxazole (403). The structure of (402) was determined by X-ray crystallography. These ring interconversions are shown in Scheme 96. 

Section 15.1 Functional group interconversions involving alcohols either as reactants or as products aie the focus of this chapter. Alcohols aie commonplace natural products. Table 15.1 summarizes reactions discussed in earlier sections that can be used to prepare alcohols. 

The interconversion of alcohols to ketones is a common biochemical reaction. The introduction of hydroxyl groups into toe steroid nucleus and side chain creates a variety of secondary alcohols. Some of these, especially at positions 3, 7, 11 and 17 are frequently oxidised to ketones. 

In this chapter, we have examined the use of cells and enzymes to chemically transform lipids. We have had to be selective and have predominantly focused attention on the transformation of sterols and steroids. We first explained why these compounds were commercially important and why they only occur in low concentrations in natural systems. We pointed out that a very large number of reaction types are possible, but those which have found greatest use include stereospedfic hydroxylations, alcohol/ketone interconversion, hydrolysis, conjugation and isomerisation. 

Owing to the reversible nature of the allylic sulfenate/allylic sulfoxide interconversion, the stereochemical outcome of both processes is treated below in an integrated manner. However, before beginning the discussion of this subject it is important to point out that although the allylic sulfoxide-sulfenate rearrangement is reversible, and although the sulfenate ester is usually in low equilibrium concentration with the isomeric sulfoxide, desulfurization of the sulfenate by thiophilic interception using various nucleophiles, such as thiophenoxide or secondary amines, removes it from equilibrium, and provides a useful route to allylic alcohols (equation 11). 

One of the first uses of the allylic sulfoxide-sulfenate interconversion was made by Jones and coworkers64, who reported exclusive suprafacial rearrangement of the allyl group in the steroidal sulfoxide 17 shown in equation 13. Two other examples are shown in equations 1465 and 1566. Evans and coworkers have demonstrated the utility of the suprafacial allylic sulfoxide-sulfenate rearrangement in a new synthesis of the tetracyclic alcohol 24 (equation 16)67, as well as in a synthesis of prostaglandin intermediates as shown in equation 1768. The stereospecific rearrangement of the unstable sulfenate intermediate obtained from the cis diol 25 indicates the suprafacial nature of this process. 

Isomerization has been observed with many a,j3-unsaturated carboxylic acids such as w-cinnamic 10), angelic, maleic, and itaconic acids (94). The possibility of catalyzing the interconversion of, for example, 2-ethyl-butadiene and 3-methylpenta-l,3-diene has not apparently been explored. The cobalt cyanide hydride will also catalyze the isomerization of epoxides to ketones (even terminal epoxides give ketones, not aldehydes) as well as their reduction to alcohols. Since the yield of ketone increases with pH, it was suggested that reduction involved reaction with the hydride [Co" (CN)jH] and isomerization reaction with [Co (CN)j] 103). A related reaction is the decomposition of 2-bromoethanol to acetaldehyde... 

Fig. 6 Hypothetical free energy reaction coordinate profiles for the interconversion of X-[8]-OH and X-[9] (R = H) and X-[10]-OH and X-[ll] (R = CH3) through the corresponding carbocations. The arrows indicate the proposed eifects of the addition of a pair of ortAo-methyl groups to X-[8]-OH, X-[8+] and X-[9] to give X-[10]-OH, X-[10+] and X-[ll]. A Effect of a pair of or/Ao-methyl groups on the stability of cumyl alcohols. B Effect of a pair of or/Ao-methyl groups on the stability of cumyl carbocations. C Effect of a pair of ortho-methyl groups on the stability of the transition state for nucleophilic addition of water to cumyl carbocations. D Effect of a pair of orf/io-methyl groups on the stability of the transition state for deprotonation of cumyl carbocations.

In a similar fashion, 2-cumyladamantane (12, R = Ph) is formed in nearly quantitative yield upon treatment of the easily synthesized 2-cumyl-2-adaman-tanol (11, R = Ph)154 with triethylsilane and methanesulfonic acid in dichloromethane at —78°.155 The high yield of a single very strained hydrocarbon product in each reaction is quite surprising in view of the very complex interconversions of carbocations known to take place from the alcohol precursors.140,151 152 156... 

Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase, catalysis of oxidation by NAD of benzyl alcohol equilibrium interconversion of benzyl alcohol and benzaldehyde... 

A few years later, Cha, Murray and Klinman published a report on isotope effects in the redox interconversion of benzyl alcohol-benzaldehyde/NAD -NADH, with catalysis by yeast alcohol dehydrogenase. This article effected among biochemists... 

The stereospecificity depends upon the enzyme in question. Let us consider the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which is involved in the ethanol to acetaldehyde interconversion. It has been deduced that the hydrogen transferred from ethanol is directed to the Re face of NAD+, giving NADH with the AR configuration, hi the reverse reaction, it is the 4-pro-R hydrogen of NADH that is transferred to acetaldehyde. 

Implicit 1n the Interconversion of 1 and 2 Is the comparably fast exchange of ether groups with other alcohols or water (e.g. Scheme 5, 2 2 ). In the reactions of 2, structure 8 1s the assumed, but well precedented Intermediate. 

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