Amines Hofmann rearrangement

The conversion of an amide into an amine in this way is termed the Hofmann reaction or the Hofmann rearrangement. 

The intermediates in making amines are isocyanates (0==C==N) just like the Hofmann Rearrangement. The isocyanates are decomposed with water, just like the Hofmann. In fact, there is a lot of similarity between the Hofmann and the Schmidt reactions. Before I detail the synthesis steps, I should note that if you wish to generate the Hydrazoic Acid in the flask by adding Sodium Azide, you might need a powder addition funnel. This bit of equipment is quite pricey and it s likely you won t have one, so the first part of the synthesis details how to make the Hydrazoic Acid separately. 

In addition to the nitrile and alcohol routes for fatty amine preparation, processes have been described by Unocal and Pennwalt Corporation, using an olefin and secondary amine (14—16) by Texaco Inc., hydrogenation of nitroparaffins (17—20) by Onyx Corporation, reaction of an alkyl haUde with secondary amines (21,22) by Henkel Cie, GmbH, reduction of an ester in the presence of a secondary amine (23) by catalytic hydroammonolysis of carboxyhc acids (24) and by the Hofmann rearrangement (25). 

Nicotinamide [98-92-0] (26) and isonicotinamide [1453-82-3] (32) undergo Hofmann rearrangements to form 3- (33) and 4-aminopyridine (34), respectively (35). This provides an important route for the manufacture of these amines. 

In the Lossen reaction a hydroxamic acid derivative (usually an 0-acyl derivative) is deprotonated by base, and rearranges via migration of the group R to give an isocyanate 2. Under the usual reaction conditions—i.e. aqueous alkaline solution—the isocyanate reacts further to yield the amine 3. The Lossen reaction is closely related to the Hofmann rearrangement and the Curtins reaction. 

By application of the Schmidt reaction, the conversion of a carboxylic acid into an amine that has one carbon atom less than the carboxylic acid, can be achieved in one step. This may be of advantage when compared to the Curtius reaction or the Hofmann rearrangement, however the reaction conditions are more drastic. With long-chain, aliphatic carboxylic acids yields are generally good, while with aryl derivatives yields are often low. 

Carboxylic acid derivatives can be converted into primary amines with loss of one carbon atom by both the Hofmann rearrangement and tire Curtius rearrangement. Although the Hofmann rearrangement involves a primary-amide and the Curtius rearrangement involves an acyl azide, both proceed through similar mechanisms. 

Figure 24.5 MECHANISM Mechanism of the Hofmann rearrangement of an amide to an amine. Each step is analogous to a reaction studied previously.

Hofmann rearrangement, 933 imide (-CONHCO—), 929 primary amine (RNH2), 916 quaternary ammonium salt, 917 reductive amination, 930 Sandmeyer reaction, 942 secondary amine (R2NH), 917 tertiary amine (R3N), 917... 

This procedure permits the synthesis of cyclobutylamine from cyclobutanecarboxylic acid in one step and in high yield. The procedures involving the Hofmann rearrangement require the preparation of the amide from the acid and afford lower yields of the amine. 

Another reaction that can be used for conversion of carboxylic acids to the corresponding amines with loss of carbon dioxide is the Hofmann rearrangement. The classic reagent is hypobromite ion, which reacts to form an A-bromoamide intermediate. Like the Curtius reaction, this rearrangement is believed to be a concerted process and proceeds through an isocyanate intermediate. 

Benzyltrimethylammonium tribromide has been used for the A -bromination of amides in good yield [54]. Under basic conditions, Hofmann rearrangement to amines is also possible (see Section 9.3). 

A potential versatile route into a-amino acids and their derivatives is via a combination of (i) nitrile hydratase/amidase-mediated conversion of substituted malo-nonitriles to the corresponding amide/acid followed by (ii) stereospecific Hofmann rearrangement of the amide group to the corresponding amine. Using a series of a,a-disubstituted malononitriles 14, cyanocarboxamides 15 and bis-carboxamides 16, the substrate specificity of the nitrile hydratase and amidase from Rhodococcus rhodochrous IF015564 was initially examined (Scheme 2.7). The amidase hydrolyzed the diamide 16 to produce (R)-17 with 95% conversion and 98%e.e. Amide 17 was then chemically converted to a precursor of (S)-a-methyldopa. It was found... 

Hofmann Rearrangement A useful means of converting an amide to an amine. 

Amines are prepared by aminolysis of alkyl halides, and also reductive amination (reduction in the presence of ammonia) of aldehydes and ketones (see Section 5.7.19). They are obtained conveniently from Hofmann rearrangement of amides. 

Hofmann rearrangement In this reaction, amines (with one less carbon) are prepared from amides by the treatment of halides (Br2 or CI2) in aqueous sodium or potassium hydroxide (NaOH or KOH). 

Amides are the least reactive of the carboxylic acid derivatives, and undergo acid or base hydrolysis to produce the parent carboxylic acids, and reduction to appropriate amines (see Section 4.3.10). They can also be dehydrated to nitriles, most commonly with boiling acetic anhydride, (AcO)20, sulphonyl chloride (SOCI2) or phosphoms oxychloride (POCI3) (see Section 4.3.18). Amines (with one less carbon) are prepared from amides by the treatment of halides (Br2 or CI2) in aqueous NaOH or KOH. This reaction is known as Hofmann rearrangement (see Section 4.3.10). 

In 1882 Hofmann discovered that when amides are treated with bromine in basic solution, they are converted to amines with one carbon less than the starting amide.180 He also isolated the N-bromo amine (114) and the isocyanate (115) as intermediates on the reaction path. The mechanism in Equation 6.56 accounts for the products and the intermediates. This reaction (or the analogous rearrangement of the N-chloro amine) is now known as the Hofmann rearrangement or, because of its synthetic usefulness in eliminating a carbon atom, the Hofmann degradation. 

The conversion of a carboxylic acid into an amine by treatment with hydrazoic acid in concentrated sulphuric acid is known as the Schmidt reaction or rearrangement, which often gives higher yields than the related Hofmann rearrangement procedure... 

A synthetic scheme becomes apparent when we recognize that a primary amine may be obtained by Hofmann rearrangement of the primary amide having one more carbon in its acyl group. This amide may, in turn, be prepared from the corresponding carboxylic acid. 

A study of the photoaddition of formamide to olefins was undertaken with the aim of finding a new process for converting olefins to higher amides and possibly further to amines by reduction or by the use of the Hofmann rearrangement. Since hydrolysis of the amides to the corresponding carboxylic acids can be effected by standard procedures, this reaction provides a new process for carboxylation of olefins under mild conditions at room temperature. A similar reaction has been shown to take place in a thermal process, using peroxides as initiators (60). 

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