Aliphatic alcohols protonated, reactivity

The influence of the alcohol on the reaction was evaluated (Scheme 26). The results of a competition experiment between the alcohols are shown in Table 7. Both alcohols were treated with mono-alkoxysilane le using 10 % Pd/C as the catalyst. The silyl ketals of both alcohols were isolated as a mixture and the area under the methine protons, from the (+)-ethyl lactate moiety of both silyl ketals, was compared by NMR analysis. The difference in reactivity of primary, versus secondary, versus tertiary alcohol was small. The differences in reactivity range from 1.5 1 for 1° vs 2°, to 3 1 for 1° vs 3°. The reactivity of a benzyl alcohol is slower than the aliphatic alcohol as shown in entries 4 to 6. Entries 4 and 5 show an increase in the ratio of 1° 2° alcohol and a decrease in ratio for the 2° 3° for the secondary benzyl alcohol. Entries 6 and 7 confirm that benzyl alcohols are less reactive than aliphatic alcohols. The inductive electron withdrawing effect of the aryl group in the benzyl alcohol renders it less nucleophillic and this may affect the rate of reaction with the silane. Although the difference in reactivity is small, this trend may be informative. The influence of the alcohol s nucleophilicity on the reaction mechanism will be addressed in a later section. 

The reactivity of an organic compound toward eaq depends on its functional groups because the main hydrocarbon chain is non-reactive. Aliphatic alcohols, ethers, and amines are also nonreactive (k 106 M 1 s-1), although alkylammonium ions show a slight reactivity and can transfer a proton to the hydrated electron. Isolated double bonds are practically nonreactive, for ethylene k <2-5 X 106 M -1 s-1, but conjugated systems or double bonds with an electron withdrawing group attached to them are very reactive. For example, butadiene and acrylic acid react with practically diffusion controlled rates ( 10 0 M -1 s-1). 

The unshared pairs of electrons on hydroxyl oxj gens seek electron deficient centers. Alkylphenols tend to be less nucleophilic than aliphatic alcohols as a direct result of the attraction of the electron density by the aromatic nucleus. The reactivity of the hydroxyl group can be enhanced in spite of the attraction of the ring current by use of a basic catalyst which removes the acidic proton from the hydroxjl group leaving the more nucleophilic alkylphenoxide. 

The efficiency of oxidation of open-chain alkyl, cycloalkyl, and unsaturated alcohols in acetonitrile by 9-phenylxanthylium ion (PhXn+) was dependent on the alcohol stmc-tures. Structure-reactivity relationship was discussed with relation to formation of a carbocationic transition state (C +-OH). Kinetic isotope effects determined at a-D, p-D3, and OD positions for the reaction of 1-phenylethanol suggested a hydride-proton sequential transfer mechanism that involved a rate-limiting formation of the a-hydroxy carbocation intermediate. Unhindered secondary alkyl alcohols were selectively oxidized in the presence of primary and hindered secondary alkyl alcohols. Strained C(7)-C(ll) cycloalkyl alcohols reacted faster than cyclohexyl alcohol, whereas the strained C(5) and C(12) alcohols reacted slower. Aromatic alcohols were oxidized efficiently and selectively in the presence of aliphatic alcohols of comparable steric requirements. ... 

Methanol shares chemical properties with other primary aliphatic alcohols, with most of its reactivity associated with the hydroxyl group. Many reactions of methanol involve the cleavage of either the C-OH bond or the 0-H bond, leading to the substitution of the OH group or the proton. Methanol is an important chemical for the synthesis of a wide range of organic compounds. Table 6 lists... 

Ene reaction of aldehydes. Aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes are not reactive enophiles however, in the presence of dimethylaluminum chloride, which serves as u mild Lewis acid catalyst and proton scavenger, ene reactions occur in reasonable to high yield. Use of C2HSA1C1 results in complex mixtures of products. This ene reaction is a useful route to homoallylic alcohols.2... 

The trapping by alkene bonds of radicals obtained in the reduction of aliphatic carbonyl compounds has proved to be a versatile route for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds. Reactions are carried out in protic solvents where the reactive species is the a-radical formed by protonation of the carbonyl radical anion. The competing reaction is reduction of the carbonyl group to the alcohol. 

Other Unsaturated Alcohols. Dimethylaluminium chloride has been found to be a useful catalyst for the ene reaction of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes with alkenes (Scheme 16) to produce homoallylic alcohols/ by acting as a mild Lewis acid and proton scavenger rapid decomposition of the product alcohol-Lewis acid complex (42), a strong proton acid species, gives methane and a non-acidic alkoxide, thus avoiding protonation of the carbon-carbon double bond in the alkene or ene adduct, 1,1-Disubstituted alkenes are the most reactive under these conditions, and the yields of ene additions to formaldehyde are also improved. 

The oxalic acid-catalysed oxidation of Af,a-diphenylnitrones by imidazolium dichromate (IDC) is first order in the nitrone, IDC, and oxalic acid. A positive fractional order was obtained with respect to acidity. A mechanism involving the protonated nitrone as a reactive species has been proposed. Oxidation of substituted phenols with isonico-tinium dichromate in the presence of oxalic acid is first order in the reductant and oxidant but showed a fractional order in oxalic acid the Hammett plot is downward concave. Activation parameters have been determined and a mechanism has been proposed. The oxidation of some secondary alcohols," aliphatic aldehydes, and three lower oxyacids of... 

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