Alkyl sulfonates with aromatic rings

Like other aromatic compounds, aromatic ethers can undergo substitution in the aromatic ring with electrophilic reagents, eg, nitration, halogenation, and sulfonation. They also undergo Eriedel-Crafts (qv) alkylation and acylation. 

Many variations of the reaction can be carried out, including halogenation, nitration, and sulfonation. Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation reactions, which involve reaction of an aromatic ling with carbocation electrophiles, are particularly useful. They are limited, however, by the fact that the aromatic ring must be at least as reactive as a halobenzene. In addition, polyalkylation and carbocation rearrangements often occur in Friedel-Crafts alkylation. 

In a study aimed at the identification of products of free radical reactions with polystyrene- and aromatic-based PEMs using model compounds, Hiibner and Roduner observed the addition of free radicals to the aromatic rings, preferentially in the ortho position to alkyl- and RO-substituents (in polystyrene- and aromatic-based PEMs, the para position is blocked by the presence of the sulfonic acid group). This study demonstrated the combined ortho-activation by these substituents and the meta-directing effect... 

These ideas will be discussed in the following subsections, where most of the attention will be devoted to the mechanistic smdies with aromatic esters, which have been the subject of an overwhelming majority of the research efforts. Nevertheless, the same reaction mechanism has been shown to be valid for the PFR of anilides, thioesters, sulfonates, and so forth. Furthermore, it is also applicable to the photo-Claisen rearrangement [i.e. the migration of alkyl (or allyl, benzyl, aryl,)] groups of aromatic ethers to the ortho and para positions of the aromatic ring [21,22]. 

The syntheses of iron isonitrile complexes and the reactions of these complexes are reviewed. Nucleophilic reagents polymerize iron isonitrile complexes, displace the isonitrile ligand from the complex, or are alkylated by the complexes. Nitration, sulfonation, alkylation, and bromina-tion of the aromatic rings in a benzyl isonitrile complex are very rapid and the substituent is introduced mainly in the para position. The cyano group in cyanopentakis(benzyl isonitrile)-iron(ll) bromide exhibits a weak "trans" effect-With formaldehyde in sulfuric acid, benzyl isonitrile complexes yield polymeric compositions. One such composition contains an ethane linkage, suggesting dimerization of the transitory benzyl radicals. Measurements of the conductivities of benzyl isonitrile iron complexes indicate a wide range of A f (1.26 e.v.) and o-o (1023 ohm-1 cm.—1) but no definite relationship between the reactivities of these complexes and their conductivities. 

Chemically, the triarylmethane dyes are monomethine dyes with three terminal aryl systems of wind] one or more arc substituted with primary, secondary, or tertiary amino groups or hydroxyl groups in the para position to the methine carbon atom. Additional substituents such as carboxyl, sulfonic acid, halogen, alkyl, and alkoxy groups may be present on the aromatic rings. The number, nature, and position of these substituents determine both the hue or color of the dye and the application class to which the dye belongs. 

The solubility of these dyes is significantly enhanced by introduction of alkenyl [35], hydroxypropyl [36], or polyetheralkyl [37] moieties into the trialkylammonium group. The trialkylammonium group may also be a component of a heterocyclic ring [38], When the trialkylammonium residue contains an alkyl chain of more than 11 carbon atoms, the dyes become soluble in aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbons and can be used for the production of printing inks [39], With aromatic diamines as the diazo components, such as 4,4 -diaminodiphenyl sulfone, basic disazo dyes are obtained which are suitable for dyeing acid-modified polyamide materials [40],... 

The sulfonic acid resins such as Dowex-50 and Amberlyst-15 have been used to promote the alkylation of the more active aromatic rings but attempts to increase their acidity generally resulted in the degradation of the solid. 2 The more strongly acidic perfluorinated resin sulfonic acid, Nafion-H,2>3 has, however, been used to promote the alkylation of benzene and other aromatic compounds. Nafion-H catalyzed the vapor phase reaction between toluene and methanol. When nm at 185°C a 12% yield of the isomeric xylenes was obtained with the ortho isomer the major product. 0 Methylation of phenol at 205°C over this catalyst gave, at 63% conversion. 37% anisole and 10% of a mixture of the ortho and para cresols in a 2 1 ratio. Reaction of anisole with methanol under these conditions resulted in a 14% selectivity to the methyl anisoles at 40% conversion, with the ortho and para isomers formed in nearly equal amounts. ... 

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