Base catalyzed

The base catalyzed rearrangement of a monotosylated 1,2-diol on alumina, followed by immediate condensation of the sensitive ketone with methylenetriphenylphosphorane, gave the exo-methylene compound below (G. Btlchi, 1966B). 

Cydopentane reagents used in synthesis are usually derived from cyclopentanone (R.A. Ellison, 1973). Classically they are made by base-catalyzed intramolecular aldol or ester condensations (see also p. 55). An important example is 2-methylcydopentane-l,3-dione. It is synthesized by intramolecular acylation of diethyl propionylsucdnate dianion followed by saponification and decarboxylation. This cyclization only worked with potassium t-butoxide in boiling xylene (R. Bucourt, 1965). Faster routes to this diketone start with succinic acid or its anhydride. A Friedel-Crafts acylation with 2-acetoxy-2-butene in nitrobenzene or with pro-pionyl chloride in nitromethane leads to acylated adducts, which are deacylated in aqueous acids (V.J. Grenda, 1967 L.E. Schick, 1969). A new promising route to substituted cyclopent-2-enones makes use of intermediate 5-nitro-l,3-diones (D. Seebach, 1977). 

Keto acids are obtained by acylation of cyclopentanone enamines (see p. I3f.) with acid chlorides and subsequent base-catalyzed mro-aldol cleavage (S. Hdnig, 1960). 

Chemoselective C-alkylation of the highly acidic and enolic triacetic acid lactone 104 (pAl, = 4.94) and tetronic acid (pA, = 3.76) is possible by use of DBU[68]. No 0-alkylation takes place. The same compound 105 is obtained by the regioslective allylation of copper-protected methyl 3,5-dioxohexano-ate[69]. It is known that base-catalyzed alkylation of nitro compounds affords 0-alkylation products, and the smooth Pd-catalyzed C-allylation of nitroalkanes[38.39], nitroacetate[70], and phenylstilfonylnitromethane[71] is possible. Chemoselective C-allylation of nitroethane (106) or the nitroacetate 107 has been applied to the synthesis of the skeleton of the ergoline alkaloid 108[70]. 

Mechanism of Base-Catalyzed Hydration The base catalyzed mechanism (Figure 17 5)... 

The role of the basic catalyst (HO ) is to increase the rate of the nucleophilic addi tion step Hydroxide ion the nucleophile m the base catalyzed reaction is much more reactive than a water molecule the nucleophile m neutral solutions... 

FIGURE 17 6 Potential en ergy diagram for base catalyzed hydration of an aldehyde or ketone... 

The mechanism of this reaction is outlined m Figure 17 8 It is analogous to the mech anism of base catalyzed hydration m that the nucleophile (cyanide ion) attacks the car bonyl carbon m the first step of the reaction followed by proton transfer to the carbonyl oxygen in the second step... 

Hydration (Section 17 6) Can be either acid or base catalyzed Equilibrium con stant IS normally unfavorable for hydra tion of ketones unless R R or both are strongly electron withdrawing... 

The proton transfer equilibrium that interconverts a carbonyl compound and its enol can be catalyzed by bases as well as by acids Figure 18 3 illustrates the roles of hydroxide ion and water m a base catalyzed enolization As m acid catalyzed enolization protons are transferred sequentially rather than m a single step First (step 1) the base abstracts a proton from the a carbon atom to yield an anion This anion is a resonance stabilized species Its negative charge is shared by the a carbon atom and the carbonyl oxygen... 

FIGURE 18 3 Mechanism of the base catalyzed enoliza tion of an aldehyde or ketone in aqueous solution... 

The slow step m base catalyzed enolization is formation of the enolate ion The second step proton transfer from water to the enolate oxygen is very fast as are almost all proton transfers from one oxygen atom to another... 

Conjugation of the newly formed double bond with the carbonyl group stabilizes the a p unsaturated aldehyde provides the driving force for the dehydration and controls Its regioselectivity Dehydration can be effected by heating the aldol with acid or base Normally if the a p unsaturated aldehyde is the desired product all that is done is to carry out the base catalyzed aldol addition reaction at elevated temperature Under these conditions once the aldol addition product is formed it rapidly loses water to form the a p unsaturated aldehyde... 

Cleavage reactions of carbohydrates also occur on treatment with aqueous base for prolonged periods as a consequence of base catalyzed retro aldol reactions As pointed out m Section 18 9 aldol addition is a reversible process and (3 hydroxy carbonyl com pounds can be cleaved to an enolate and either an aldehyde or a ketone... 

Stopping the polymer at this point requires the ratio of formaldehyde to phenol to be less than unity. Both methylene and ether bridges are known to be present. The reaction is either acid or base catalyzed, and branching is uncommon at this stage. The products are variously known as A stage resins, novolacs, or resole prepolymers. 

This reaction is carried out under base-catalyzed conditions and with a formaldehyde/phenol ratio greater than unity. The resulting product is called a C state resin or resite. 

PHOST is often prepared by polymerization of 4-acetoxystyrene followed by base-catalyzed hydrolysis (Fig. 29). The acetoxystyrene monomer s stabihty and polymerization kinetics allow production of PHOST of higher quaUty than is easily obtained by direct radical polymerization of HOST. The PHOST homopolymer product is then partially or fully derivatized with an acid-cleavable functionaUty to produce the final resist component. 

Reactions with Aldehydes and Ketones. The base-catalyzed self-addition of acetaldehyde leads to formation of the dimer, acetaldol [107-89-1/, which can be hydrogenated to form 1,3-butanediol [107-88-0] or dehydrated to form crotonaldehyde [4170-30-3]. Crotonaldehyde can also be made directiy by the vapor-phase condensation of acetaldehyde over a catalyst (53). 

The base-catalyzed reaction of acetaldehyde with excess formaldehyde [50-00-0] is the commercial route to pentaerythritol [115-77-5]. The aldol condensation of three moles of formaldehyde with one mole of acetaldehyde is foUowed by a crossed Cannizzaro reaction between pentaerythrose, the intermediate product, and formaldehyde to give pentaerythritol (57). The process proceeds to completion without isolation of the intermediate. Pentaerythrose [3818-32-4] has also been made by condensing acetaldehyde and formaldehyde at 45°C using magnesium oxide as a catalyst (58). The vapor-phase reaction of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde at 475°C over a catalyst composed of lanthanum oxide on siHca gel gives acrolein [107-02-8] (59). 

Acrolein produced in the United States is stabilized against free-radical polymerization by 1000—2500 ppm of hydroquinone and is protected somewhat against base-catalyzed polymerization by about 100 ppm of acetic acid. To ensure stabiUty, the pH of a 10% v/v solution of acrolein in water should be below 6. 

Since the principal hazard of contamination of acrolein is base-catalyzed polymerization, a "buffer" solution to shortstop such a polymerization is often employed for emergency addition to a reacting tank. A typical composition of this solution is 78% acetic acid, 15% water, and 7% hydroquinone. The acetic acid is the primary active ingredient. Water is added to depress the freezing point and to increase the solubiUty of hydroquinone. Hydroquinone (HQ) prevents free-radical polymerization. Such polymerization is not expected to be a safety hazard, but there is no reason to exclude HQ from the formulation. Sodium acetate may be included as well to stop polymerization by very strong acids. There is, however, a temperature rise when it is added to acrolein due to catalysis of the acetic acid-acrolein addition reaction. 

Chemical Properties. The hydrolysis of PET is acid- or base-catalyzed and is highly temperature dependent and relatively rapid at polymer melt temperatures. Treatment for several weeks in 70°C water results in no significant fiber strength loss. However, at 100°C, approximately 20% of the PET tenacity is lost in one week and about 60% is lost in three weeks (47). In general, the hydrolysis and chemical resistance of copolyester materials is less than that for PET and depends on both the type and amount of comonomer. 

Synthesis and Properties. Polyquinolines are formed by the step-growth polymerization of o-aminophenyl (aryl) ketone monomers and ketone monomers with alpha hydrogens (mosdy acetophenone derivatives). Both AA—BB and AB-type polyquinolines are known as well as a number of copolymers. Polyquinolines have often been prepared by the Friedlander reaction (88), which involves either an acid- or a base-catalyzed condensation of an (9-amino aromatic aldehyde or ketone with a ketomethylene compound, producing quinoline. Surveys of monomers and their syntheses and properties have beenpubhshed (89—91). 

Okfm Syntheses. Conversion of aldehydes and ketones to olefins by the base-catalyzed decomposition of -toluenesulfonic (Ts) acid hydrazones (10) is known as the Bamford-Stevens reaction (54,55). 

Ethynylation. Base-catalyzed addition of acetylene to carbonyl compounds to form -yn-ols and -yn-glycols (see Acetylene-DERIVED chemicals) is a general and versatile reaction for the production of many commercially useful products. Finely divided KOH can be used in organic solvents or Hquid ammonia. The latter system is widely used for the production of pharmaceuticals and perfumes. The primary commercial appHcation of ethynylation is in the production of 2-butyne-l,4-diol from acetylene and formaldehyde using supported copper acetyHde as catalyst in an aqueous Hquid-fiHed system. 

The main processes for the manufacture of hydroxybenzaldehydes are based on phenol. The most widely used process is the saligenin process. Saligenin (2-hydroxybenzyl alcohol [90-01-7]) and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol [623-05-2] are produced from base-catalyzed reaction of formaldehyde with phenol (35). Air oxidation of saligenin over a suitable catalyst such as platinium or palladium produces sahcylaldehyde (62). 

The Madelung Synthesis and Related Base-Catalyzed Condensations. The Madelung cyclization involves an intramolecular condensation of an o-aLkylanilide. A classic example of the Madelung synthesis is the high temperature condensation of o-methylacetanihde [120-66-1] to 2-methylindole [95-20-5] by sodium amide. 

Reportedly, simple alkyl isocyanates do not dimerize upon standing. They trimerize to isocyanurates under comparable reaction conditions (57). Aliphatic isocyanate dimers can, however, be synthesized via the phosgenation of A[,A[-disubstituted ureas to yield /V-(ch1orocarhony1)ch1oroformamidine iatermediates which are subsequendy converted by partial hydrolysis and base catalyzed cycUzation. This is also the method of choice for the synthesis of l-alkyl-3-aryl-l,3-diazetidiones (mixed dimers of aromatic and aUphatic isocyanates) (58). 

Diketones are readily transformed to cycHc derivatives, such as cyclopentanones and furans. In this manner, the fragrance dihydrojasmone (3-meth5l-2-pentyl-2-cyclopenten-l-one) is prepared by the base-catalyzed aldol condensation of 2,5-undecanedione. 2,5-Undecanedione is itself prepared from heptanal and methyl vinyl ketone in the presence of thiazoHum salts (329). i7j -Jasmone can be similarly prepared (330,331). 

Such copolymers of oxygen have been prepared from styrene, a-methylstyrene, indene, ketenes, butadiene, isoprene, l,l-diphen5iethylene, methyl methacrjiate, methyl acrylate, acrylonitrile, and vinyl chloride (44,66,109). 1,3-Dienes, such as butadiene, yield randomly distributed 1,2- and 1,4-copolymers. Oxygen pressure and olefin stmcture are important factors in these reactions for example, other products, eg, carbonyl compounds, epoxides, etc, can form at low oxygen pressures. Polymers possessing dialkyl peroxide moieties in the polymer backbone have also been prepared by base-catalyzed condensations of di(hydroxy-/ f2 -alkyl) peroxides with dibasic acid chlorides or bis(chloroformates) (110). 

As a variation on the base-catalyzed nucleopbilic displacement chemistry described, polysulfones and other polyarylethers have been prepared by cuprous chloride-catalyzed polycondensation of aromatic dihydroxy compounds with aromatic dibromo compounds. The advantage of this route is that it does not require that the aromatic dibromo compound be activated by an electron-withdrawing group such as the sulfone group. Details of this polymerization method, known as the Ullmaim synthesis, have been described (8). 

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