Benzyl derivatives Curtius

In a related type of reaction, the styryl isocyanates, readily available by Curtius rearrangement of cinnamoyl azides, undergo thermal cyclization to l-isoquinolones in good yield (equation 34) the reaction can also be carrried out using Friedel-Crafts catalysts. 2,3-Dihydro-4( 1//)- isoquinolones are obtained by Dieckmann cyclization of N- (o- carbalkoxy-benzyl)glycine ester derivatives (equation 35). The same reaction has been used for the synthesis of a range of non-aromatic heterocycles (equations 36 and 37). 

Phenylethylamine has been made by a number of reactions, many of which are unsuitable for preparative purposes. Only the most important methods, from a preparative point of view, are given here. The present method is adapted from that of Adkins,1 which in turn was based upon those of Mignonac,2 von Braun and coworkers,3 and Mailhe.4 Benzyl cyanide has been converted to the amine by catalytic reduction with palladium on charcoal,5 with palladium on barium sulfate,6 and with Adams catalyst 7 by chemical reduction with sodium and alcohol,8 and with zinc dust and mineral acids.9 Hydrocinnamic acid has been converted to the azide and thence by the Curtius rearrangement to /3-phenyl-ethylamine 10 also the Hofmann degradation of hydrocinnamide has been used successfully.11 /3-Nitrostyrene,12 phenylthioaceta-mide,13 and the benzoyl derivative of mandelonitrile 14 all yield /3-phenylethylamine upon reduction. The amine has also been prepared by cleavage of N- (/3-phenylethyl) -phthalimide 15 with hydrazine by the Delepine synthesis from /3-phenylethyl iodide and hexamethylenetetramine 16 by the hydrolysis of the corre-... 

The Curtius rearrangement of the acyl azide derived from optically pure a-methoxy-a-(trifluoro-methyl)phenylacetic acid (MTPA 48) also proceeds with retention of configuration, giving a-methoxy-a-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl isocyanate (49 equation 26). The isocyanate (49) is useful for the determination of the enantiomeric composition of optically active primary and secondary amines. 

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