Aromatic decarboxylation

As previous examples have shown, the development of microwave-enhanced labeling technology means more than accelerating reactions - it provides alternative opportunities. It follows therefore that some previously used methods now become much more attractive and this is the case for certain aromatic decarboxylations which can now be used for tritiations as well as in the treatment of tritiated waste. In previous studies [83] of the reaction the overriding feature was the harsh experimental conditions required. 

2-Unsubstituted indoles, widely used intermediates in organic chemistry, are commonly synthesized through decarboxylation of the parent acid [84]. This is 

The potential of the microwave-enhanced decarboxylation route in the radioactive waste area is immediately apparent - washing the tritium waste with a protic solvent leads to exchange of the labile tritium. The solvent can then be used with one of the carboxylic acids mentioned above and after the microwave-enhanced decarboxylation the waste is now in the form of a solid (greatly reduced volume) which may have some further use. 

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The predominance of organometallics with electron-withdrawing substituents (Sections III,A-D, and F) can partly be attributed to the promotion of some mechanisms by these substituents [e.g., Eqs. (4), (6), and (15)] (Section II,B). This imposes limitations, as a number of polyha-logenobenzoates, notably 2,3,4,5-tetrafluorobenzoates, have insufficient electron-withdrawing capacity for decarboxylation to occur (Section III,D). Although mechanisms promoted by electron-donating substituents can be formulated (Section II,B), there is little evidence yet for their operation apart from classic electrophilic aromatic decarboxylation [Eq. (12)] (see also Section III,E). 

Successful syntheses by classical electrophilic aromatic decarboxylation (Section III,E) offer promise that a range of aryl organometallics containing strongly electron-donating groups could be prepared for electrophilic metals (e.g., Tlm, PbIV, Aum). 

In a proton transfer to an aromatic carbon atom, a so-called sigma complex is formed in which the configuration of the valence electrons of the carbon has been changed from sp2 to sp3. In the next step, the other electrophilic atom or group bonded to the same carbon may be split off. This leads to an electrophilic aromatic substitution. Examples are aromatic hydrogen isotope exchange, aromatic decarboxylation, deboro-nation, and deiodination (see Sect. 9 Chap. 2, and Vol. 13, Chap. 1). 

This section will be concerned with aromatic decarboxylation as an example of an acid catalyzed reaction. The other reactions of this group are discussed in other chapters. 

Treatment of biopterin and biopterin reductase deficiency consists not only of regulating the blood levels of phenylalanine but of supplying the missing form of coenzyme and the precursors of neurotransmitters, namely, dihydroxyphenylalanine and 5-hydroxytryptophan, along with a compound that inhibits peripheral aromatic decarboxylation. This compound is necessary because the amine products do not cross the blood-brain barrier. 

The rate of the Nf -catalysed Diels-Alder reaction is barely sensitive to the presence of ligands. Apparently no significant effect due to -back donation is observed, in contrast to the effect of aromatic diamines on the metal-ion catalysed decarboxylation reaction of oxaloacetate (see Section 3.1.1). 

The phenylacetic acid derivative 469 is produced by the carbonylation of the aromatic aldehyde 468 having electron-donating groups[jl26]. The reaction proceeds at 110 C under 50-100 atm of CO with the catalytic system Pd-Ph3P-HCl. The reaction is explained by the successive dicarbonylation of the benzylic chlorides 470 and 471 formed in situ by the addition of HCl to aldehyde to form the malonate 472, followed by decarboxylation. As supporting evidence, mandelic acid is converted into phenylacetic acid under the same reaction conditions[327]. 

FIGURE 27 5 Tyrosine is the biosynthetic precursor to a number of neurotransmit ters Each transformation IS enzyme catalyzed Hydroxy lation of the aromatic ring of tyrosine converts it to 3 4 dihyd roxyphenylalanine (l dopa) decarboxylation of which gives dopamine Hy droxylation of the benzylic carbon of dopamine con verts It to norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and methy lation of the ammo group of norepinephrine yields epi nephrine (adrenaline)... 

The physical properties of cyanoacetic acid [372-09-8] and two of its ester derivatives are Hsted ia Table 11 (82). The parent acid is a strong organic acid with a dissociation constant at 25°C of 3.36 x 10. It is prepared by the reaction of chloroacetic acid with sodium cyanide. It is hygroscopic and highly soluble ia alcohols and diethyl ether but iasoluble ia both aromatic and aUphatic hydrocarbons. It undergoes typical nitrile and acid reactions but the presence of the nitrile and the carboxyUc acid on the same carbon cause the hydrogens on C-2 to be readily replaced. The resulting malonic acid derivative decarboxylates to a substituted acrylonitrile ... 

The methyl and ethyl esters of cyanoacetic acid are slightly soluble ia water but are completely miscible ia most common organic solvents including aromatic hydrocarbons. The esters, like the parent acid, are highly reactive, particularly ia reactions involving the central carbon atom however, the esters tend not to decarboxylate. They are prepared by esterification of cyanoacetic acid and are used principally as chemical iatermediates. 

Trichloroacetic acid K = 0.2159) is as strong an acid as hydrochloric acid. Esters and amides are readily formed. Trichloroacetic acid undergoes decarboxylation when heated with caustic or amines to yield chloroform. The decomposition of trichloroacetic acid in acetone with a variety of aUphatic and aromatic amines has been studied (37). As with dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid can be converted to chloroacetic acid by the action of hydrogen and palladium on carbon (17). 

Decarboxylation. Decarboxylation of linear and aromatic carboxyUc acids and of amino acids is common and of practical interest. L-Lysine [56-87-1] (48) can be synthesized by stereospecific decarboxylation of meso- (but not DL-) aa -diaminopimehc acid [2577-62-0] (49). The reaction is catalyzed by Bacillus sphaericus and proceeds in quantitative yields (92). 

L-tryptophan by hydroxylation to 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan by the enzyme, ttyptophan-5-hydroxylase. 5-Hydroxy-L-tryptophan is then rapidly decarboxylated by aromatic-L-amino acid deacarboxylase to 5-HT. The actions of 5-HT as a neurottansmitter ate terminated by neuronal reuptake and metabobsm. 

This ladical-geneiating reaction has been used in synthetic apphcations, eg, aioyloxylation of olefins and aromatics, oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes, etc (52,187). Only alkyl radicals, R-, are produced from aliphatic diacyl peroxides, since decarboxylation occurs during or very shortiy after oxygen—oxygen bond scission in the transition state (187,188,199). For example, diacetyl peroxide is well known as a source of methyl radicals (206). 

Isoquinoline reacts with aliphatic carboxylic acids photolyticaHy or with a silver catalyst to give excellent yields of alkylation products by decarboxylation (155). This method is useful in the synthesis of 2-benzoyhsoquinolines bearing a variety of aromatic substituents in the 1-position (156). 

Benzoic acid [65-85-0] C H COOH, the simplest member of the aromatic carboxyHc acid family, was first described in 1618 by a French physician, but it was not until 1832 that its stmcture was deterrnined by Wn b1er and Liebig. In the nineteenth century benzoic acid was used extensively as a medicinal substance and was prepared from gum benzoin. Benzoic acid was first produced synthetically by the hydrolysis of benzotrichloride. Various other processes such as the nitric acid oxidation of toluene were used until the 1930s when the decarboxylation of phthaUc acid became the dominant commercial process. During World War II in Germany the batchwise Hquid-phase air oxidation of toluene became an important process. 

Carboxylic acids react with xenon difluoride to produce unstable xenon esters The esters decarboxylate to produce free radical intermediates, which undergo fluonnation or reaction with the solvent system Thus aliphatic acids decarboxylate to produce mainly fluoroalkanes or products from abstraction of hydrogen from the solvent Perfluoro acids decarboxylate in the presence of aromatic substrates to give perfluoroalkyl aromatics Aromatic and vinylic acids do not decarboxylate [91] (equation 51)... 

Application of the Bischler-Napieralski reaction to amides of tryptophan has been investigated. The cyclodehydration of acetyltrypto-phan under conventional conditions proved unsuccessful. Attempted ring closure of acetyltryptophan or its ethyl ester was accompanied by decarboxylation and aromatization, yielding... 

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