Alkyl halides phase-transfer catalysis

Introduction of the cyano group through anhydrous [Ph3P=N=PPh3]+CN-proceeds smoothly and quantitatively on alkyl and acyl halides (phase-transfer catalysis reactions required higher temperatures and gave by-products)536. 

The preparation of mono- and di-tm-butylcyclopentadienes 1 and 2 starting from monomeric cyclopentadiene was reported first in 1963 [23]. It was noted that the nucleophilic attack of the cyclopentadienide anion on ferf-alkyl halide has to compete with elimination reaction giving isobutene. The yield of the di- and tri-fer/-butylcyclopentadienes 2 and 3 was therefore reported to be modest to low [23, 24], Recently an elegant improvement for this synthesis using phase transfer catalysis was presented (Eq. 1), but the availability of the tri-substituted derivative... 

Alkenyl alcohols, (E) disubstituted, 55, 66 ALKYL HALIDES, alkenes from, 55, 103 C-ALKYLATION, phase transfer catalysis... 

Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) are prepared - by moderate heating of the amine and the alkyl halide in a suitable solvent - as the chlorides or the bromides. Subsequently conversion to the hydroxides may be carried out. Major applications of the quat chlorides are as fabric softeners and as starch cationizing agent. Several bio-active compounds (agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals) possess the quat-structure. Important applications of quat bromides are in phase transfer catalysis and in zeolite synthesis. 

The reaction between acyl halides and alcohols or phenols is the best general method for the preparation of carboxylic esters. It is believed to proceed by a 8 2 mechanism. As with 10-8, the mechanism can be S l or tetrahedral. Pyridine catalyzes the reaction by the nucleophilic catalysis route (see 10-9). The reaction is of wide scope, and many functional groups do not interfere. A base is frequently added to combine with the HX formed. When aqueous alkali is used, this is called the Schotten-Baumann procedure, but pyridine is also frequently used. Both R and R may be primary, secondary, or tertiary alkyl or aryl. Enolic esters can also be prepared by this method, though C-acylation competes in these cases. In difficult cases, especially with hindered acids or tertiary R, the alkoxide can be used instead of the alcohol. Activated alumina has also been used as a catalyst, for tertiary R. Thallium salts of phenols give very high yields of phenolic esters. Phase-transfer catalysis has been used for hindered phenols. Zinc has been used to couple... 

Alkyl azides can be prepared by treatment of the appropriate halide with azide ion. ° Phase-transfer catalysis,ultrasound,and using reactive clays as a... 

In addition, there are a few examples of heterogeneous nonaqueous sonochemistry, in both liquid-liquid and liquid-solid systems. Two recent reports have utilized ultrasonic agitation in place of or along with phase transfer catalysis for the preparation of dichlorocarbene from aqueous NaOH/CHCl3 (166), and for N-alkylation of amines with alkyl halides (167). Along the same lines, several papers have appeared in which... 

Figure 11.5 Phase-transfer catalysis of the Sn2 reaction between sodium cyanide and an alkyl halide.

Scheme 4.8 N-Alkylation of imidazole with alkyl halides under phase-transfer-catalysis conditions.

The application of phase-transfer catalysis to the Williamson synthesis of ethers has been exploited widely and is far superior to any classical method for the synthesis of aliphatic ethers. Probably the first example of the use of a quaternary ammonium salt to promote a nucleophilic substitution reaction is the formation of a benzyl ether using a stoichiometric amount of tetraethylammonium hydroxide [1]. Starks mentions the potential value of the quaternary ammonium catalyst for Williamson synthesis of ethers [2] and its versatility in the synthesis of methyl ethers and other alkyl ethers was soon established [3-5]. The procedure has considerable advantages over the classical Williamson synthesis both in reaction time and yields and is certainly more convenient than the use of diazomethane for the preparation of methyl ethers. Under liquidrliquid two-phase conditions, tertiary and secondary alcohols react less readily than do primary alcohols, and secondary alkyl halides tend to be ineffective. However, reactions which one might expect to be sterically inhibited are successful under phase-transfer catalytic conditions [e.g. 6]. Microwave irradiation and solidrliquid phase-transfer catalytic conditions reduce reaction times considerably [7]. 

Alkylation of 2,4-disubstituted-5(477)-oxazolones can be conveniently performed via phase-transfer catalysis. For example, the substrate and an alkyl halide are dissolved in an organic solvent and stirred with an aqueous sodium carbonate solution containing tetrabutylammonium bromide as a phase-transfer catalyst. 4,4-(Diarylmethyl)-2-phenyl-5(4/f)-oxazolones can be prepared in one-step by dialkylation of 146 using magnesium methyl carbonate and the corresponding... 

Thioethers (sulfides) can be prepared by treatment of alkyl halides with salts of thiols (thiolate ions).7S2 R may be alkyl or aryl. As in 0-35, RX cannot be a tertiary halide, and sulfuric and sulfonic esters can be used instead of halides. As in the Williamson reaction (0-12), yields are improved by phase-transfer catalysis.753 Instead of RS ions, thiols themselves can be used, if the reaction is run in benzene in the presence of DBU (p. 1023).754 Neopentyl bromide was converted to Me3CCH2SPh in good yield by treatment with PhS in liquid NH3 at -33°C under the influence of light.755 This probably takes place by an SrnI mechanism (see p. 648). Vinylic sulfides can be prepared by treating vinylic bromides with PhS in the presence of a nickel complex,756 and with R3SnPh in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4.757 R can be tertiary if an alcohol is the substrate, e.g,758... 

Polymeric phosphonium salt-bound carboxylate, benzenesulphinate and phenoxide anions have been used in nucleophilic substitution reactions for the synthesis of carboxylic acid esters, sulphones and C/O alkylation of phenols from alkyl halides. The polymeric reagent seems to increase the nucleophilicity of the anions376 and the yields are higher than those for corresponding polymer phase-transfer catalysis (reaction 273). 

Alkylation and deprotection of N-protected aminomethylphosphonate esters 6 are shown in Scheme 6. The nitrogen is protected as the imine derived from benzophenone or a benz-aldehyde, and a variety of conditions are used for deprotonation and alkylation (Table 2). The benzaldehyde imine of aminomethylphosphonate can be deprotonated with LDA and alkylated with electrophilic halides (entries 1 and 2). For the best yields, saturated alkyl bromides require an equivalent of HMPA as an additive. 36 Allylic esters can be added to the carbanion with palladium catalysis (entries 3-7). 37,38 For large-scale production, phase-transfer catalysis appears to be effective and inexpensive (entries 8-12). 39,40 ... 

The fate of the onium carbanion Q+R incorporated into the organic phase depends on the electrophilic reaction partner. The most studied area in the asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis is that of asymmetric alkylation of active methylene or methine compounds with alkyl halides, in an irreversible manner. The reaction mechanism illustrated above is exemplified by the asymmetric alkylation of glycine Schiff base (Scheme 1.5) [8]. 

In particular, it is not only the cinchona alkaloids that are suitable chiral sources for asymmetric organocatalysis [6], but also the corresponding ammonium salts. Indeed, the latter are particularly useful for chiral PTCs because (1) both pseudo enantiomers of the starting amines are inexpensive and available commercially (2) various quaternary ammonium salts can be easily prepared by the use of alkyl halides in a single step and (3) the olefin and hydroxyl functions are beneficial for further modification of the catalyst. In this chapter, the details of recent progress on asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis are described, with special focus on cinchona-derived ammonium salts, except for asymmetric alkylation in a-amino acid synthesis. 

As has already been pointed out, the Finkelstein reaction can be conducted in situ in the absence of solvents. For example, alkylations of purine and pyrimidine bases with alkyl halides and dimethyl sulfate have been carried out by solid/liquid phase-transfer catalysis in the absence of any additional solvent [48], as have cyanation of haloalkanes [49] and / -eliminations [50]. Noteworthy is the synthesis of glycosyl isothiocyanates by the reaction of potassium thiocyanate with molten glycosyl bromide at 190 °C [51]. 

Alkylthio)isoflavones 758 can be prepared by the reaction of deoxybenzoins with carbon disulfide and alkyl halides under phase transfer catalysis in excellent yield (Scheme 197) <2002TL6113>. 

---