Benzyl alcohol group, neutral

I) Refluxing said benzyl ester with an aqueous alcoholic alkali metal hydroxide solution to saponify the benzyl ester group, neutralizing the saponification mixture by the addition of hydrochloric acid, extracting the neutralized mixture with chloroform, and separating the resulting (S,N-ditrityl-L-cysteinyl)-L-proline. 

Catalytic hydrogenolysis of an O-benzyl protective group is a mild, selective method introduced by Bergmann and Zervas to cleave a benzyl carbamate (>NC0-0CH2C6H5 —> >NH) prepared to protect an amino group during peptide syntheses. The method has also been used to cleave alkyl benzyl ethers, stable compounds prepared to protect alkyl alcohols benzyl esters are cleaved by catalytic hydrogenolysis under neutral conditions. 

The above section already introduced the influence of leaving groups at the benzylic position that eliminate to form and regenerate QM3, and the trend extends beyond adducts formed by the deoxynucleosides as expected. The standard benzylic acetate of QMP4 eliminates completely from the deprotected phenol under neutral aqueous conditions and ambient temperature within approximately 20 h, while an equivalent benzyl bromide eliminates completely within 5 min.48 Benzylic phosphates are also extremely labile, and, if the phosphate backbone of DNA is able to trap QM, the resulting products are likely to be too labile for standard detection.53,54 In contrast, amines and thiols are much less susceptible to elimination from the benzylic position and require forcing conditions to regenerate the parent QM.26,30 The benzylic alcohol derivative also appears stable under almost all thermal conditions and only eliminates routinely to form a QM after photochemical excitation.55... 

Using this method, benzylic alcohols with electron-deficient and electron-neutral groups were oxidized in good to excellent yields. However, electron-rich benzylic alcohols such as p-methoxybenzyl alcohol failed to afford the target products due to side reactions. 

FR-900482 918, a mitomycin-like antitumor agent, isolated from Streptomyces sandaensis, exists as a 2 1 mixture f> a ether bridge) of stereoisomers at neutral pH, but almost exclusively as the j8-isomer in acidic media. An asymmetric route to its core nucleus involves the cyclization of an aziridinyl radical derived from 914 to give a functionalized indole nucleus 915 —> 916. In a further step, a bmzyloxy-carbonyl group is introduced on the primary alcohol function using CDI and benzyl alcohol, affording 917 in 71% yield [659]. 

In neutral aqueous solution at elevated temperatures, sodium dichromate oxidizes benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. The mechanism involves formation of a chromate ester and the unfavourable entropy of activation may be due to formation of a cyclic transition state (3) in which the carbonyl group is developed, while a substantial isotope effect (Ath/Atd = 9.4 0.9) indicates transfer of a proton. The oxidation of benzaldehyde to benzoic acid is substantially slower and involves a preequilibrium step in which the carbonyl is hydrated. A similar cyclic transition state is proposed, however. 

Six protective groups for alcohols, which may be removed successively and selectively, have been listed by E.J. Corey (1972B). A hypothetical hexahydroxy compound with hydroxy groups 1 to 6 protected as (1) acetate, (2) 2,2,2-trichloroethyl carbonate, (3) benzyl ether, (4) dimethyl-t-butylsilyl ether, (5) 2-tetrahydropyranyl ether, and (6) methyl ether may be unmasked in that order by the reagents (1) KjCO, or NH, in CHjOH, (2) Zn in CHjOH or AcOH, (3) over Pd, (4) F", (5) wet acetic acid, and (6) BBrj. The groups may also be exposed to the same reagents in the order A 5, 2, 1, 3, 6. The (4-methoxyphenyl)methyl group (=MPM = p-methoxybenzyl, PMB) can be oxidized to a benzaldehyde derivative and thereby be removed at room temperature under neutral conditions (Y- Oikawa, 1982 R. Johansson, 1984 T. Fukuyama, 1985). 

The benzyl group has been widely used for the protection of hydroxyl functions in carbohydrate and nucleotide chemistry (C.M. McCloskey, 1957 C.B. Reese, 1965 B.E. Griffin, 1966). A common benzylation procedure involves heating with neat benzyl chloride and strong bases. A milder procedure is the reaction in DMF solution at room temperatiue with the aid of silver oxide (E. Reinefeld, 1971). Benzyl ethers are not affected by hydroxides and are stable towards oxidants (e.g. periodate, lead tetraacetate), LiAIH, amd weak acids. They are, however, readily cleaved in neutral solution at room temperature by palladium-catalyzed bydrogenolysis (S. Tejima, 1963) or by sodium in liquid ammonia or alcohols (E.J. Rcist, 1964). 

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