Amines, acetylation separation

In general, benzoylation of aromatic amines finds less application than acetylation in preparative work, but the process is often employed for the identification and characterisation of aromatic amines (and also of hydroxy compounds). Benzoyl chloride (Section IV, 185) is the reagent commonly used. This reagent is so slowly hydrolysed by water that benzoylation can be carried out in an aqueous medium. In the Schotten-Baumann method of benzoylation the amino compound or its salt is dissolved or suspended in a slight excess of 8-15 per cent, sodium hydroxide solution, a small excess (about 10-15 per cent, more than the theoretical quantity) of benzoyl chloride is then added and the mixture vigorously shaken in a stoppered vessel (or else the mixture is stirred mechanically). Benzoylation proceeds smoothly and the sparingly soluble benzoyl derivative usually separates as a solid. The sodium hydroxide hydrolyses the excess of benzoyl chloride, yielding sodium benzoate and sodium chloride, which remain in solution ... 

The quinaldine is separated from any unreacted aniline and from the alkyl-anilines by treatment with acetic anhydride, basified with sodium carbonate and steam distilled. Only the primary and secondary amines are acetylated the acetylated amines are now much less volatile so that separation from the steam-volatile quinaldine (a tertiary amine) is facile. 

Acetyl chloride test (for primary and secondary amines). In a semi-micro test-tube (75 x 10 mm.) treat 0-5 ml. (or 0-5 g.) of the compound with acetyl chloride drop by drop. Note whether reaction occurs. If no solid separates, pour the contents of the tube into 3 ml. of water and neutralise the aqueous layer with solid sodium bicarbonate. Observe whether a product different from the original compound is produced. 

The dibasic side chain at position 7 can be alternatively provided by a substituted amino alkyl pyrrolidine. Preparation of that diamine in chiral form starts with the extension of the ester function in pyrrolidone (46-1) by aldol condensation with ethyl acetate (46-2). Acid hydrolysis of the (3-ketoester leads to the free acid that then decarboxylates to form an acetyl group (46-3). The carbonyl group is next converted to an amine by sequential reaction with hydroxylamine to form the oxime, followed by catalytic hydrogenation. The desired isomer (46-4) is then separated... 

The original racemic patents described the use of resolution to give a chiral oxirane, such as 25, as an intermediate or the use of a chiral auxiliary (20) to produce the salmeterol enantiomers. Alkylation of chiral amine 20 with 2-benzyloxy-5-(2-bromo-acetyl)-benzoic acid methyl ester, followed by diastereoselective reduction of the ketone with lithium borohydride furnished intermediate 21 after chromatographic separation of the diasteromers. Removal of the benzyl group and the chiral auxiliary was... 

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