2- Alkyl-1,4-naphthoquinones

CMral tpoxyiutphthoquinones. Pluim and Wynberg1 have prepared a number of Optically active epoxides of 2-alkyl- and 2,3-dialkyl-l,4-naphthoquinones by Oxidation with 30% H202, aqueous NaOH, and benzylquininium chloride. Enantiomeric excesses of 43% can be realized, and these can be improved by Oiyitallization. The authors also report that the most satisfactory method for preparation of 2-alkyl-1,4-naphthoquinones is that of Jacobsen (5, 17 8, 18). 

A iridine traces in aqueous solution can be determined by reaction with 4-(p-nitroben25l)pyridine [1083-48-3] and potassium carbonate [584-08-7]. Quantitative determination is carried out by photometric measurement of the absorption of the blue dye formed (367,368). Alkylating reagents interfere in the determination. A iridine traces in the air can be detected discontinuously by absorption in Folin s reagent (l,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonate) [2066-93-5] (369,370) with subsequent chloroform extraction and hplc analysis of the red dye formed (371,372). The detection limit is ca 0.1 ppm. Nitrogen-specific thermal ionisation detectors can be used for continuous monitoring of the ambient air. 

The transformation of arenes in the troposphere has been discussed in detail (Arey 1998). Their destruction can be mediated by reaction with hydroxyl radicals, and from naphthalene a wide range of compounds is produced, including 1- and 2-naphthols, 2-formylcinnamaldehyde, phthalic anhydride, and with less certainty 1,4-naphthoquinone and 2,3-epoxynaphthoquinone. Both 1- and 2-nitronaphthalene were formed through the intervention of NO2 (Bunce et al. 1997). Attention has also been directed to the composition of secondary organic aerosols from the photooxidation of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the presence of NO (Eorstner et al. 1997) the main products from a range of alkylated aromatics were 2,5-furandione and the 3-methyl and 3-ethyl congeners. 

A very elegant extension of this process to alkyl chlorides, even bearing some functionalities, was developed by Beller using the aheady mentioned well-defined Pd-NHC naphthoquinone complex 11 (Scheme 6.17). The yields are, in general, excellent except when a-substituted alkyl chlorides are employed [76]. 

It was found that treatment of a mixture of 120 and 121 with tris(diethylamino-sulfonium) trimethyldifluorosilicate [TASF(Et)] resulted in smooth addition-elimination to the naphthoquinone to form the y-alkylation product 125 (85 %). TASF(Et) is a convenient source of soluble, anhydrous fluoride ion [47]. It is believed that exposure of 121 to TASF(Et) results in fluoride transfer to generate a hypervalent silicate anion, as depicted in structure 124. The transfer of fluoride between TASF(Et) and 121 may be driven by stabilization of the anionic species 124 by delocalization of the carbon-silicon bond into the LUMO of the unsaturated ketone. 1,4-Addition-elimination of this species to the naphthoquinone 120 would then form the observed product. 

The half-wave reduction potentials for a series of annelated 1,4 naphthoquinones (102-106) increase upon alkylation, and decrease as ring size decreases (Table 13). The more cathodic reduction potentials of 2,3-dimethylnaphtho-l,4-qui-none (106, 0.846 V) and l,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9,10-anthroquinone (105,0.854 V) as compared to 1,4-naphthoquinone (0.685 V) are expected from inductive electron donation of alkyl groups. A decrease in reduction potential from 105 to 2,3-cyclobutanaphtho-l,4-quinone (103) (0.695 V) as ring size decreases is observed such that the reduction potential of 103 is only slightly higher than the parent 1,4-naphthoquinone. 

A new synthetic route to alkyl-substituted quinones has relied on the photochemical reaction of 2,3-dichloro-l,4-naphthoquinone with a thiophene derivative (77CL851). Irradiation of a benzene solution of the quinone and thiophene by a high pressure mercury lamp gave photoadduct (295) in 56% yield. Desulfurization of this compound over Raney nickel (W-7) gave the 2-butyl-1,4-naphthoquinone derivative (296 Scheme 62). Alkyl-substituted quinones such as coenzyme Q and vitamin K, compounds of important biological activity, could possibly be prepared through such methodology. 

The structure of vitamin Kj has been established by degradation and by synthesis. Surprisingly, the long alkyl side chain of vitamin K, is not necessary for its action in aiding blood clotting because 2-methyl-l,4-naphthoquinone is almost equally active on a molar basis. 

Dehmlow and coworkers [17] compared the efficiency of monodeazadnchona alkaloid derivatives 14a-c in the enantioselective epoxidation of naphthoquinone 50 with that of cinchona alkaloid-derived chiral phase-transfer catalysts 15a-c (Table 7.7) (for comparison of the alkylation reaction, see Table 7.1). Interestingly, the non-natural cinchona alkaloid analogues 14a-c afforded better results than natural cinchona alkaloids 15a-c. The deazacinchonine derivatives 14a,b produced epoxidation product 51 in higher enantioselectivity than the related cinchona alkaloids 15a,b. Of note, catalyst 14c, which possessed a bulky 9-anthracenylmethyl substituent on the quaternary nitrogen, afforded the highest enantioselectivity (84% ee). 

Compounds of type LXXIII cannot be made by the rearrangement of the 7-substituted allyl ethers, because these compounds yield LXXIV by inversion. a,7-Dimethylallyl bromide,16 7,7-dimethylallyl bromide,29 cinnamyl chloride,84 and phytyl bromide 86 (a vitamin K synthesis) have been used in C-alkylation procedures. The silver salt of 2-hydroxy-l,4-naphthoquinone is converted to a mixture of C-alkylation product and two isomeric ethers by treatment with allylic halides and benzyl halides. ... 

The Williamson synthesis, using a sodium phenoxide and allyl bromide in methanol solution, is more rapid than the procedure using acetone and potassium carbonate and gives good results.16-36 441 66 Aqueous acetone also has been used as the reaction medium with allyl bromide and sodium hydroxide this method likewise is rapid and sometimes leads to better yields than the procedure using potassium carbonate and acetone.34 Allylation of 2-hydroxy-l,4-naphthoquinone has been carried out by treating the silver salt, in benzene, with allyl bromide 84 some C-alkylation as well as O-alkylation was observed. 

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