Benzene reaction pathway

An 80% yield of benzyl chloride is obtained with sulfuryl chloride as chlorinating agent. Yields of >70% of benzyl chloride are obtained by the zinc chloride-catalyzed chloromethylation of benzene but formation of bis-chloromethyl ether presents a health hazard for this reaction pathway. 

The reaction pathway of 0-, N-, and S-containing l, 2-bifunctional benzenes with fluoroolefins depended on the relative abilities of the heteroatom to stabilize an adjacent anionic center, e.g., (17) and (18) [87-JCS(P1)763]. 

The reaction of alkoxyarylcarbene complexes with alkynes mainly affords Dotz benzannulated [3C+2S+1C0] cycloadducts. However, uncommon reaction pathways of some alkoxyarylcarbene complexes in their reaction with alkynes leading to indene derivatives in a formal [3C+2S] cycloaddition process have been reported. For example, the reaction of methoxy(2,6-dimethylphenyl)chromium carbene complex with 1,2-diphenylacetylene at 100 °C gives rise to an unusual indene derivative where a sigmatropic 1,5-methyl shift is observed [60]. Moreover, a related (4-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylphenyl)carbene complex reacts in benzene at 100 °C with 3-hexyne to produce an indene derivative. However, the expected Dotz cycloadduct is obtained when the solvent is changed to acetonitrile [61] (Scheme 19). Also, Dotz et al. have shown that the introduction of an isocyanide ligand into the coordination sphere of the metal induces the preferential formation of indene derivatives [62]. 

The second reaction pathway involves the isomerisation of acetylene to the vinylidene radical followed by further reaction with the acetylene to form ben-zyne and then the diphenyl radical, as shown in Figure 5.14. Addition of acetylene to the phenyl radical in a further four steps forms two fused benzene rings called naphthalene. 

Ejection of dinitrogen from the triazoline adducts to form the related aziridines was promoted by ultraviolet irradiation (300 nm, benzene) and usually proceeded in excellent yield. An exception was found in the irradiation of the triazoline substrate 59, where cleavage of the cyclobutane ring occurred as the dominant reaction pathway to form the pyridazino norbomadiene 61 (and secondary photoproducts derived therefrom), together with the triazole-4,5-diester 62. A role for the pyridazine ring and the 2-pyridyl substituents in stabilising the diradical intermediate 60 has been proposed for this abnormal outcome (Scheme 8). 

The ce-pyrrolidonate Pt(2.5 + )4 (19) was also found to catalyze the oxidation of benzene to phenol by hydrogen peroxide (121). By HPLC, ESR, and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, the main reaction pathway was confirmed to be Eq. (13). 

Scheme 15 could be a reaction pathway parallel to the classical reaction (equation 1), and it was postulated to explain the third order in amine observed in the reactions of FDNB and aromatic amines in benzene and in chloroform184. The K values were calculated from the absorbances of the reaction mixture extrapolated to zero reaction time, in a wavelength range in which the starting materials do not show an appreciable absorbance value. Good agreement was observed between the values of K for the FDNB/aniline complex in chloroform by U.V. and 111-NMR spectroscopy, as well as for the K obtained kinetically (based on Scheme 15) and spectroscopically. 

FIGURE 3.13 Molar rates of progress for benzene oxidation in an atmospheric turbulent flow reactor. The thickness of the lines represents the relative magnitudes of certain species as they pass through each reaction pathway. 

When desired vinylidene-mediated pathways are not sufficiently favorable. Group 9 metal catalysts can access a set of typical side-reaction pathways. Alkyne dimerization to give conjugated enynes or higher oligomers is often observed. Polysubstituted benzenes resulting from [2 + 2 + 2] alkyne cyclotrimerization are also common coproducts. Fortunately, the selectivity of rhodium and iridium catalysts can often be modulated by the variation of spectator ligands. 

Haloform reaction, 237, 296 Halogenation alkanes, 300, 323 alkenes, 179,186, 313 benzene, 138,316 ketones, 295 Hammett equation, 362 additional parameters, 374, 388, 395 derivation of, 362 deviations from, 375 empirical nature of, 395 implications of, 394 reaction pathway, and, 375 solvent effects and, 388 spectroscopic correlations, 392 standard reaction for, 362, 395 steric effects and, 361, 383 thermodynamic implications of, 394 Hammett plots, 359 change in rate-limiting step and, 383 change in reaction pathway and, 378... 

A second major mode of photocydoaddition involves 1.2-addition to the aromatic ring, and this predominates if there is a large difference in electron-donor/acceptor capacity between the aromatic compound and the alkene. It is therefore the major reaction pathway when benzene reacts with an electron-rich alkene such as 1,1-dimethoxyethylene (3.43) or with an electron-deficient alkene such as acrylonitrile (3.441. When substituted benzenes are involved, such as anisole with acrylonitrile (3.45), or benzonitrile with vinyl acetate (3.46), reaction can be quite efficient and regioselective to give products in which the two substituents are on adjacent carbon atoms. 

The Pt(CH2 = CH2)(PPh3)2-catalyzed dehydrogenative double silylation of olefins and dienes with o-bis(dimethylsilyl)benzene was also examined by Tanaka and co-workers.61 The major product of the reaction with dienes, such as isoprene and penta-1,2-diene, is a result of 1,2-addition to the less substituted double bond. The reaction pathway for simple alkenes, shown in Eq. (19), appears to be dependent on the alkene substrate and, in some cases, on reaction temperature. Products resulting from 1,2-addition, 1, and 1,1-addition, 2, are detected for various substrates. In addition, hydrosilylation may occur to give the simple hydrosilylated product, 3, or a by-product, 4, derived from 1,4-migration of a methyl group in 3. 

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