Aldehydes Bucherer-Bergs reaction

Synthesis from Thiohydantoins. A modification (71) of the Bucherer-Bergs reaction consisting of treatment of an aldehyde or ketone with carbon disulfide, ammonium chloride, and sodium cyanide affords 2,4-dithiohydantoias (19). 4-Thiohydantoias (20) are available from reaction of amino nitriles with carbon disulfide (72). Compounds (19) and (20) can be transformed iato hydantoias. 

In summary, the Bucherer-Bergs reaction converts aldehydes or ketones to the corresponding hydantoins. It is often carried out by treating the carbonyl compounds with potassium cyanide and ammonium carbonate in 50% aqueous ethanol. The resulting hydantoins, often of pharmacological importance, may also serve as the intermediates for amino acid synthesis. 

Chemically synthesised D,L-hydantoins prepared from the corresponding aldehydes via die Bucherer Berg reaction are converted by the bacterial cells (Bacillus brevis), containing a D-spedfic hydantoinase, to a mixture of D-N-carbamoyl amino acid and L-hydantoin. The latter compound undergoes rapid and spontaneous racemisation under the conditions of the reaction, therefore, in principle 100% of the hydantoin is converted into the D-N-carbamoyl compound. The D-amino add is obtained after treatment of the D-N-carbamoyl compound with nitrous add. This process is operated on an industrial scale by the Japanese firm Kanegafuchi. 

The scope of the reaction depends on the availability of the starting aldehyde (or ketone). A drawback is the toxicity of the hydrogen cyanide used as reactant. A variant of the Strecker synthesis is the Bucherer-Bergs reaction it gives better yields, and proceeds via formation of an intermediate hydantoin 5 ... 

Synthesis From Aldehydes and Ketones. Treatment of aldehydes and ketones with potassium cyanide and ammonium carbonate gives hydantoins in a one-pot procedure (Bucherer-Bergs reaction) that proceeds through a complex mechanism. Some derivatives, like oximes, semicarbazones. Iliiosetricarbazones. and others, are also suitable starting materials. 

Beller s group described a pioneering palladium-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 5-substituted hydantoins 27, 3,5-substi-tuted hydantoins 28, and 1,3,5-substituted hydantoins 30 based on the carbonylation of aldehydes in the presence of urea derivatives as an interesting alternative to Bucherer-Bergs reactions (Scheme 10.6) [29]. 

The Strecker [1] and Bucherer-Bergs [2] reactions are the most important strategies and powerful tools for the synthesis of a-amino acids from a carbonyl compound and cyanide. The classical first approach uses ammonium hydroxide and potassium cyanide to obtain the corresponding aminonitrile compound 1, whereas the second one is a four-component condensation between an aldehyde or ketone derivative reacting with potassium cyanide and ammonium carbonate as source of ammonia and carbon dioxide affording hydan-toin componnds 2 [3], In both cases, final hydrolysis would deliver the corresponding o,a-disubstituted a-amino acid derivatives 3 (Scheme 10.1) [4],... 

In a German patent issued in 1929, Bergs described a synthesis of some 5-substituted hydantoins by treatment of aldehydes or ketones (1) with potassium cyanide, ammonium carbonate, and carbon dioxide under several atmospheres of pressure at 80°C. In 1934, Bucherer et al. isolated a hydantoin derivative as a by-product in their preparation of cyanohydrin from cyclohexanone. They subsequently discovered that hydantoins could also be formed from the reaction of cyanohydrins (e.g. 3) and ammonium carbonate at room temperature or 60-70°C either in water or in benzene. The use of carbon dioxide under pressure was not necessary for the reaction to take place. Bucherer and Lieb later found that the reaction proceeded in 50% aqueous ethanol in excellent yields for ketones and good yields for aldehydes. ... 

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