Azole radicals

Oxidation of azole anions can give neutral azole radicals which could, in principle, be tt (139) or a- (140) in nature. ESR spectra indicate structure (141 hyperfine splittings in G) for imidazolyl radicals, but both tt- and cr-character have been observed for pyrazolyl radicals. Tetrazolyl radicals (142 4 143) are also well known (79AHC(25)205). Oxidation of 2,4,5-triarylimidazole anions with bromine gives l,l -diimidazolyls (144) which are in equilibrium with the dissociated free radical (145) (70AHQ 12)103). 

The carbon atoms of azole rings can be attacked by nucleophilic (Section 4.02.1.6 electrophilic (Section 4.02.1.4) and free radical reagents (Section 4.02.1.8.2). Some system for example the thiazole, imidazole and pyrazole nuclei, show a high degree of aromati character and usually revert to type if the aromatic sextet is involved in a reaction. Othei such as the isoxazole and oxazole nuclei are less aromatic, and hence more prone to additio reactions. 

Despite some recent discoveries, free radical reactions are still very much less common in azole chemistry than those involving electrophilic or nucleophilic reagents. In some reactions involving free radicals, substituents have little orienting effect however, rather selective radical reactions are now known. 

Phenyl radicals attack azoles unselectively to form a mixture of phenylated products. Relative rates and partial rate factors are given in Table 7. The phenyl radicals may be prepared from the usual precursors PhN(NO)COMe, Pb(OCOPh)4, (PhC02)2 or PhI(OCOPh)2. Substituted phenyl radicals react similarly. 

Alkyl radicals produced by oxidative decarboxylation of carboxylic acids are nucleophilic and attack protonated azoles at the most electron-deficient sites. Thus imidazole and 1-alkylimidazoles are alkylated exclusively at the 2-position (80AHC(27)241). Similarly, thiazoles are attacked in acidic media by methyl and propyl radicals to give 2-substituted derivatives in moderate yields, with smaller amounts of 5-substitution. These reactions have been reviewed (74AHC(i6)123) the mechanism involves an intermediate cr-complex. 

Thus the activity of the methyl groups in this reaction decreases in the series C-4 > C-5 > C-3. This may be considered as evidence of the inhibiting effect of the nitrogen hetero atom on the radical substitution in methyl groups at C-3 and, to a lesser extent, at C-5 (compare the effect of the heterocyclic nitrogen in the pyridine and azole series ) and of a similar effect of the electron-accepting substituents in the 4-position on the methyl group at C-5. 

A-Alkyl groups in neutral azoles can rearrange thermally to carbon. For example, 2-alkylimidazoles can be prepared in this way in a reaction which is irreversible, uncatalyzed, intramolecular and does not involve radicals (80AHC(27)24l). 

Thiazoles, vinyl-radical polymerization, 6, 278 Thiazole-5-sulfonic acid, 2-amino-synthesis, 6, 255-256 Thiazole-2-sulfonic acids reactions, 5, 104 6, 291 Thiazole-5-sulfonic acids synthesis, 6, 255 Thiazole-5-thione, 2-phenyl-tautomerism, 6, 249 Thiazolethiones reactivity, 6, 250 Thi azole-2-thiones reactions, 5, 102 tautomerism, 5, 367 Thiazolidine, 2-alkyl-occurrence, 6, 327 Thiazolidine, 2-arylimino-X-ray analysis, 6, 238 Thiazolidine, 4-imino-mesoionic didehydro derivative nomenclature, 1, 34 nomenclature, 1, 34... 

Adhikari S, Sprinz H, Brede 0 (2001) Thiyl radical induced isomerization of unsaturated fatty acids determination of equilibrium constants. Res Chem Intermed 27 549-559 Adhikary A, Bothe E, Jain V, von Sonntag C (2000) Pulse radiolysis of the DNA-binding bisbenzimid-azole derivatives Hoechst 33258 and 33342 in aqueous solution. Int J Radiat Biol 76 1157-1166 Akhlaq MS, von Sonntag C (1986) Free-radical-induced elimination of H2S from dithiothreitol. A chain reaction. J Am Chem Soc 108 3542-3544... 

The main structural types of the azoles are given in Figure 1. Most of them are experimentally available and stable at room temperature. The basic parent structures are shown in row A and named as 1,3,2-dithiazoles, 1,3,2-dithiazolidines, 1,3,2-dioxazoles, and 1,3,2-dioxazolidines. Row B represents the known 1,3,2-dithiazolium and dithiazolidinium cations and 1,3,2-dithiazolyl and 1,3,2-dithiazolidinyl radicals, respectively. 

Nitro derivatives of azoles owing to electron deficiency are capable of being reduced with the formation of radical ions. 3-Nitropyrazole in the conditions of pulse radiolysis, depending on pH medium, forms radical anions (RA) or radical dianions (RDA), which were registered by ESR method [849] (Scheme 3.16). A hyperfine structure (HFS) constant (a, mT) is a main parameter in the ESR spectrum indicating the interaction of the unpaired electron with all magnetic active nuclei of radical. 

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