Anisole reduction

During the synthesis of peptides that contain 4-methoxybenzyl-protected cysteine residues, sulfoxide formation may occur. These sulfoxides, when treated with HF/ anisole, form thiophenyl ethers that cannot be deprotected therefore, the peptides should be subjected to a reduction step prior to deprotection. ... 

Benzylsulfonamides, prepared in 40-70% yield, are cleaved by reduction (Na, NH3, 75% yield H2, Raney Ni, 65-85% yield, but not by H2, Pt02) and by acid hydrolysis (HBr or HI, slow). They are also cleaved by photolysis (2-4 h, 40-90% yield). The similar p-methylbenzylsulfonamide (PMS—NR2) has been prepared to protect the e-amino group in lysine it is quantitatively cleaved by anhydrous hydrogen fluoride/anisole (—20°, 60 min). Another example of this seldom used group is illustrated below... 

This group was developed for the protection of primary amides of amino acids. It is introduced by amide bond formation with the benzhydrylamine. It is cleaved with 1 MSiCl4/anisole/TFA/0° or 1 MTMSOTf/thioanisole/TFA, 0°. Cleavage occurs by initial sulfoxide reduction followed by acidolysis. ... 

The nitration of 6-methoxyquinoxaline in concentrated sulfuric acid at 0°C gives 6-methoxy-5-nitroquinoxaline. The position of the nitro group is confirmed by reduction of the product to 5-amino-6-methoxy-quinoxaline identical with a sample prepared from 2,3,4-triamino-anisole and glyoxal ... 

For the Birch reduction of mono-substituted aromatic substrates the substituents generally influence the course of the reduction process. Electron-donating substituents (e.g. alkyl or alkoxyl groups) lead to products with the substituent located at a double bond carbon center. The reduction of methoxybenzene (anisole) 7 yields 1-methoxycyclohexa-1,4-diene 8 ... 

Halides, reduction of organic, with magnesium and 2 propanol, 47,106 Halogenation of anisole to a chloroani sole with sulfuryl chloride, 47,... 

Feldman and Eastman have suggested that the kinamycins may by reductively activated to form reactive vinyl radical (25) and orf/to-quinone methide (26) intermediates (Scheme 3.2c) [16]. The authors provided convincing evidence that the alkenyl radical 25 is generated when the model substrate dimethyl prekinamycin (24) is exposed to reducing conditions (tri-n-butyltin hydride, AIBN). Products that may arise from addition of this radical (25) to aromatic solvents (benzene, anisole, and benzonitrile) were isolated. The ort/io-quinone methide 26 was also formed,... 

Partial reduction of polyarenes has been reported. Use of boron trifluoride hydrate (BF3 OH2) as the acid in conjunction with triethylsilane causes the reduction of certain activated aromatic systems 217,262 Thus, treatment of anthracene with a 4-6 molar excess of BE3 OH2 and a 30% molar excess of triethylsilane gives 9,10-dihydroanthracene in 89% yield after 1 hour at room temperature (Eq. 120). Naphthacene gives the analogously reduced product in 88% yield under the same conditions. These conditions also result in the formation of tetralin from 1-hydroxynaphthalene (52%, 4 hours), 2-hydroxy naphthalene (37%, 7 hours), 1-methoxynaphthalene (37%, 10 hours), 2-methoxynaphthalene (26%, 10 hours), and 1-naphthalenethiol (13%, 6 hours). Naphthalene, phenanthrene, 1-methylnaphthalene, 2-naphthalenethiol, phenol, anisole, toluene, and benzene all resist reduction under these conditions.217 Use of deuterated triethylsilane to reduce 1-methoxynaphthalene gives tetralin-l,l,3-yielding information on the mechanism of these reductions.262 2-Mercaptonaphthalenes are reduced to 2,3,4,5-tetrahydronaphthalenes in poor to modest yields.217 263... 

Treatment of a pentacyclic la, I I -(2-oxethano) thioketal steroid with excess Et3SiH/TFA causes reduction of the carbon-carbon double bonds as well as the 17-carbonyl group to give a single reaction product (Eq. 213).368 Other work utilizes trifluoroacetic acid, triethylsilane, and anisole in the presence of a catalytic amount of boron trifluoride etherate to reduce the acetyl carbonyl of a 3-acetyl-2-azetidinone derivative with a dr of 8 1 (Eq. 214).395... 

Of the substituted phenol ethers the amino-derivatives of anisole (anisidine) and phenetole (pkenetidine) may be mentioned. They are prepared from the nitrophenols by alkylation and subsequent reduction of the nitro-group. 

Alkaline reduction of o-nitro-anisole leads (as in the case of nitrobenzene) to the hydrazo-compound, which undergoes a benzidine trans-... 

The substituent effects on the photochemistry between benzene and secondary aliphatic amines53 were studied. Irradiation of toluene or chlorobenzene with diethylamine results in the formation of mixtures of addition and substitution products (equations 34 and 35). Irradiation of anisole or benzonitrile with diethylamine gives the substitution product 7V,7V-diethylaniline (equations 36 and 37). Irradiation of benzylfluoride with diethylamine results in a side-chain substitution (equation 38). The photoreaction of p-fluorotoluene with diethylamine gives both substitution and reduction products (equation 39). 

Scheme 158 Mercury-catalyzed Birch reduction of anisole.

The Birch-type electrochemical reduction (460) (461) has been shown to proceed through the action of tetra-butylammonium amalgam in the steps (460)— (462)— (463), in contrast to a direct electron transfer from the electrode to the aromatics (Scheme 158) [548]. The preparative-scale reduction of anisole, of l,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-methoxynaphthalene, and several aromatic steroids is performed in an H20-Bu4N0H-(Hg) system. The unique aspect of the reduction is the proposed formation of a tetrabutylammo-nium amalgam complex, BU4N (Hg) (465)... 

In the actual synthesis, Birch reduction of anisole (10, R = CH3) affords the... 

The reaction in Scheme 5.11 gives the snlfoninm salt (anion CIO4 ) in a 90% yield (ronte a). One-electron reduction of the thianthrene cation-radical by anisole is the side reaction (ronte b). Route b leads to products with a 10% total yield. Addition of the dibenzodioxine cation-radical accelerates the reaction 200 times. The cation-radicals of thianthrene and dibenzodioxine are stable. Having been prepared separately, they are introdnced into the reaction as perchlorate salts. 

It was realized that the mechanism of Birch reduction involves protonation of the anion-radical formed by the addition of one electron to the reacting aromatic compound. This is followed by rapid addition of a second electron and protonation of the forming carbanion to yield nonconjugated alicyclic products. Protonation of the anion-radical by added alcohol is the rate-limiting stage. Recent calculations show that the ortho and meta positions in anisole are most enhanced in density by electron introduction. The para position is not appreciably affected (Zimmerman and Alabugin 2001 Scheme 7.9). 

Some aryl iodides are known to generate the diaryImercury at a mercury cathode. In the case of 4-iodoaniso e, reduction at more negative potentials in dimeth-ylfonnamide leads to the formation of less di(4-methoxyphenyl)mercury. At glassy carbon, anisole is the only reduction product. 4-Bromoanisole gives only anisole at either mercury or carbon [143]. Mercur> has been used as cathode material for many preparative experiments with aryl halides but glassy carbon and also stainless steel are very satisfactory alternatives. 

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