Sulfate dimethyl, reaction with alcohols

The reaction of alkyl sulfates with alkoxide ions is quite similar to 10-12 in mechanism and scope. Other inorganic esters can also be used. One of the most common usages of the reaction is the formation of methyl ethers of alcohols and phenols by treatment of alkoxides or aroxides with methyl sulfate. The alcohol or phenol can be methylated directly, by treatment with dimethyl sulfate and alumina in cyclohexane. Carboxylic esters sometimes give ethers when treated with alkoxides (Bal2 mechanism, p. 473) in a very similar process (see also 10-24). 

Sulfuric acid can form ester derivatives with alcohols, though since it is a dibasic acid (pAla — 3, 2) it can form both mono- and di-esters. Thus, acid-catalysed reaction of methanol with sulfuric acid gives initially methyl hydrogen sulfate, and with a second mole of alcohol the diester dimethyl sulfate. Though not shown here, the mechanism will be analogous to the acid-catalysed formation of carboxylic acid esters (see Section 7.9). 

Etherification. The reaction of alkyl haUdes with sugar polyols in the presence of aqueous alkaline reagents generally results in partial etherification. Thus, a tetraaHyl ether is formed on reaction of D-mannitol with aHyl bromide in the presence of 20% sodium hydroxide at 75°C (124). Treatment of this partial ether with metallic sodium to form an alcoholate, followed by reaction with additional aHyl bromide, leads to hexaaHyl D-mannitol (125). Complete methylation of D-mannitol occurs, however, by the action of dimethyl sulfate and sodium hydroxide (126). A mixture of tetra- and pentabutyloxymethyl ethers of D-mannitol results from the action of butyl chloromethyl ether (127). Completely substituted trimethylsilyl derivatives of polyols, distillable in vacuo, are prepared by interaction with trim ethyl chi oro s il an e in the presence of pyridine (128). Hexavinylmannitol is obtained from D-mannitol and acetylene at 25.31 MPa (250 atm) and 160°C (129). 

Isoxazolium salts can be prepared by reaction with alkyl iodides or sulfates, although the low basicity of isoxazoles and their sensitivity to nucleophilic attack may necessitate special care. Isoxazolium salts containing bulky Af-substituents can be prepared by the reaction of isoxazoles with alcohols in the presence of perchloric acid. For example, the reaction of 3,5-dimethylisoxazole (53) with some alcohols in the presence of 70% perchloric acid gave isoxazolium salts, (54a) in 29%, (54b) in 57% and (54c) in 82% yield 79AHC(25)147, 68JOC2397). Attempts to quaternize 3,5-dimethyl-4-nitroisoxazole failed 71JCS(B)2365). 

The reaction of a bis-alkynic alcohol (103) with aqueous dimethylamine gives dimethyl-aminofuran (104) (74IZV206). trans-Enynols cyclize presumably through a cis intermediate with base (75RTC70) or mercury(II) sulfate, a method used for the synthesis of the terpenoid bilabone (105) (69JOC857). 

Indeed, if methanol is heated with fuming sulfuric acid, dimethyl sulfate, CH30(S02)0CH3, is obtained but other alcohols are better converted to dialkyl sulfates by oxidation of the corresponding dialkyl sulfites formed by the reaction of 1 mole of thionyl chloride (SOCl2) with 2 moles of the alcohol ... 

The O-alkylation of carboxylates is a useful alternative to the acid-catalyzed esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols. Carboxylates are weak, hard nucleophiles which are alkylated quickly by carbocations and by highly reactive, carbocation-like electrophiles (e.g. trityl or some benzhydryl halides). Suitable procedures include treatment of carboxylic acids with alcohols under the conditions of the Mitsunobu reaction [122], or with diazoalkanes. With soft electrophiles, such as alkyl iodides, alkylation of carboxylic acid salts proceeds more slowly, but in polar aprotic solvents, such as DMF, or with non-coordinating cations acceptable rates can still be achieved. Alkylating agents with a high tendency to O-alkylate carboxylates include a-halo ketones [42], dimethyl sulfate [100,123], and benzyl halides (Scheme 6.31). 

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