Aldehydes, replacement epoxidation

Replacement of the carbamate function by an amide seems to be compatible with meprobamate-like activity in a compound formally derived from a 1,2-glycol. Oxidation of the commercially available aldehyde, 22, under controlled conditions affords the corresponding acid (23). This is then converted to its amide (24) via the acid chloride. Epoxidation by means of perphthalic acid affords oxanamide (25). ... 

Chiral alkenyl and cycloalkenyl oxiranes are valuable intermediates in organic synthesis [38]. Their asymmetric synthesis has been accomplished by several methods, including the epoxidation of allyl alcohols in combination with an oxidation and olefination [39a], the epoxidation of dienes [39b,c], the chloroallylation of aldehydes in combination with a 1,2-elimination [39f-h], and the reaction of S-ylides with aldehydes [39i]. Although these methods are efficient for the synthesis of alkenyl oxiranes, they are not well suited for cycloalkenyl oxiranes of the 56 type (Scheme 1.3.21). Therefore we had developed an interest in the asymmetric synthesis of the cycloalkenyl oxiranes 56 from the sulfonimidoyl-substituted homoallyl alcohols 7. It was speculated that the allylic sulfoximine group of 7 could be stereoselectively replaced by a Cl atom with formation of corresponding chlorohydrins 55 which upon base treatment should give the cycloalkenyl oxiranes 56. The feasibility of a Cl substitution of the sulfoximine group had been shown previously in the case of S-alkyl sulfoximines [40]. 

Pozzi has also shown that perfluorocarbons are excellent replacements for chlorinated solvents in the epoxidation of alkenes with sacrificial aldehydes in the absence of metal catalysts [77]. It is believed that the acylperoxy radical, which is formed by the reaction of oxygen with an aldehyde, is responsible for the epoxidation (Eqn. (6)). 

Titanosilicalite (TS-1)[165,166], a highly siliceous MFI type zeolite in which 0.1 to 2.5% of the Si atoms are replaced by Ti, is the most successful example for the use of isomorphously substitited zeolites. As a consequence of the high Si/Al ratio of TS-1 the material contains only a negligible concentration of strong Bronsted acid sites. In fact, the presence of acid sites is detrimental to the selectivity of the catalysts, as discussed below. TS-1 has been found to be a selective oxidation catalyst for a wide variety of reactions such as the conversion of alkenes to epoxides [167], alcohols to aldehydes [168], alkanes to secondary alcohols and ketones [169,170], phenol to hydroquinone and catechol [171] and amines to hydroxylamines [ 172]. A schematic representation of the chemistry is given in Fig. 7 which is adapted from ref [17]. 

The subjects presented span a wide range of oxidation reactions and catalysts. These include the currently important area of lower alkane oxidation to the corresponding olefins, unsaturated aldehydes, acids and nitriles. In this manner, the abundant and less expensive alkanes replace the less abundant and more expensive olefins as starting materials for industrially important intermediates and chemicals. In the oxidative activation of methane the emphasis is shifting towards the use of extremely short contact times and newer more rugged catalysts. In the area of olefin oxidations, of particular note are the high efficiency epoxidation of propylene, and new detailed mechanistic insights into the... 

Reaction of a-hydroxy-ketones (e.g. 275) with the Simmons-Smith reagent replaces the carbonyl group by a methylene (276) or ethano-group (277), depending upon the conditions employed. Bromomethyl-lithium in THF reacts with saturated aldehydes and ketones to give epoxides. Several steroid examples are given. 

Oxirans, e.g. (2), can also be obtained from aldehydes by reaction with sulphuryl chloride,and by a simple modification of the Payne reaction, using peroxybenzimidic acid. In the latter case, replacement of the usual catalyst by KaCOs gave epoxides which are often difficult to come by, e.g. (3) and (4). 

The reduction of alkyl hahdes has been important in many syntheses. Sodium cyanoborohydride in HMPA will reduce alkyl iodides, bromides, and tosylates selectively in the presence of ester, amide, nitro, chloro, cyano, alkene, epoxide, and aldehyde groups [118]. Tri-n-butyltin hydride will replace chloro, bromo, or iodo groups with hydrogen via a free radical chain reaction initiated by thermal decomposition of AIBN [119]. Other functionality such as ketones, esters, amides, ethers, and alcohols survive unchanged. The less toxic tris(trimethylsilyl) silane can be used similarly [120]. 

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