Phase transfer catalysts benzyltriethylammonium chloride

Pha.se-Tra.nsfer Ca.ta.lysts, Many quaternaries have been used as phase-transfer catalysts. A phase-transfer catalyst (PTC) increases the rate of reaction between reactants in different solvent phases. Usually, water is one phase and a water-iminiscible organic solvent is the other. An extensive amount has been pubHshed on the subject of phase-transfer catalysts (233). Both the industrial appHcations in commercial manufacturing processes (243) and their synthesis (244) have been reviewed. Common quaternaries employed as phase-transfer agents include benzyltriethylammonium chloride [56-37-17, tetrabutylammonium bromide [1643-19-2] tributylmethylammonium chloride [56375-79-2] and hexadecylpyridinium chloride [123-03-5]. 

The highest yields in the Ciamician-Dennstedt reaction have been achieved using phase transfer catalysts (Table 8.3.1). In the reaction, the pyrrole or indole and a phase transfer catalyst (PTC, in this case benzyltriethylammonium chloride) are dissolved in chloroform and aqueous sodium hydroxide is added. Yields are typically in the 40s to 60s (rather than in the 20s for a typical Ciamician-Dennstedt reaction). More recently, yields as high as 80% have been reported using tetra-n-butylammonium hydrogen sulphate as the phase transfer catalyst. ... 

For example, direct treatment of red phosphorus with potassium hydroxide in a mixture of dioxane and water with a phase-transfer catalyst (benzyltriethylammonium chloride) allows direct reaction with primary haloalkanes to form the trialkylphosphine oxide in moderate (60-65%) yield.1415 Allylic and benzylic halides are similarly reported to generate the corresponding tertiary phosphine oxides. When the reaction is performed with a,(o-dihalides, cyclic products are generated only with four- and five-carbon chains the third site... 

The following quaternary ammonium salts are used as phase transfer catalyst tetra-K-butylammonium chloride (TBAC), tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB), benzyltriethylammonium chloride (BTEAC), and benzyltriethylammo-nium bromide (BTEAB). Chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as dichloromethane (DCM), chloroform (CF), tetrachloromethane (TCM), 1,2-dichloromethane (DCE), and nitrobenzene (NB) are used as solvents. The effects of phase-transfer catalyst and solvent on the yield and reduced viscosity are summarized in Table 9.1. 

It is worth mentioning at this point that according to Normant et al. (1975) simple polyamines such as tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) are even more active than [2.2.2]-cryptand in the benzylation of acetates in acetonitrile under liquid-solid conditions. These authors suggested that the activity was due to salt solubilization by cation complexation and not to formation of a quaternary ammonium ion since the latter showed no activity. This statement, however, is not in line with the results of Cote and Bauer (1977), who were unable to detect any interaction between K+ and TMEDA in acetonitrile. Furthermore, Vander Zwan and Hartner (1978) found Aliquat 336 (tricaprylylmethylammonium chloride) to be almost as effective as TMEDA in this reaction (Table 30). It might well be, however, that in amine-catalysed benzylation reactions the quaternary salt formed in situ acts both as a reactant and as a phase-transfer catalyst, since Dou et al. (1977) have shown that the benzyltriethylammonium ion is a powerful benzylation agent. 

The formation of cyclopropanes from 7C-deficient alkenes via an initial Michael-type reaction followed by nucleophilic ring closure of the intermediate anion (Scheme 6.26, see also Section 7.3), is catalysed by the addition of quaternary ammonium phase-transfer catalysts [46,47] which affect the stereochemistry of the ring closure (see Chapter 12). For example, equal amounts of (4) and (5) (X1, X2 = CN) are produced in the presence of benzyltriethylammonium chloride, whereas compound (4) predominates in the absence of the catalyst. In contrast, a,p-unsatu-rated ketones or esters and a-chloroacetic esters [e.g. 48] produce the cyclopropanes (6) (Scheme 6.27) stereoselectively under phase-transfer catalysed conditions and in the absence of the catalyst. Phenyl vinyl sulphone reacts with a-chloroacetonitriles to give the non-cyclized Michael adducts (80%) to the almost complete exclusion of the cyclopropanes. 

Benzyltriethylammonium chloride is frequently used as the phase-transfer catalyst, but it has been noted that the catalyst itself produces phenylacetic acid under the carbonylation conditions [6]. Trimethyl(phenyl)ammonium chloride and tetra-n-butylammonium chloride both catalyse the reaction efficiently. 

Benzoin condensation.1 The benzoates of cyanohydrins of aromatic aldehydes undergo benzoin condensation with an aromatic aldehyde in 50% NaOH/C6H6 in the presence of a phase-transfer catalyst, benzyltriethylammonium chloride. Theoretically two symmetrical and two unsymmetrical benzoins are possible, but in practice only one unsymmetrical benzoin is formed, that in which the carbonyl group is adjacent to the benzene ring substituted by the more electron-donating group. 

Morris Jr. and Kiely37 in 1987 noted a great acceleration in the oxidation of alcohols, with catalytic Ru04 in a biphasic system, upon addition of 1% molar benzyltriethylammonium chloride (BTEAC) as a phase-transfer catalyst. 

Catalytic reduction of alkynes to ds-alkenes. This reduction is not possible with 10% Pd/C alone because this metal is too reactive and the alkane is formed readily. The selective reaction is possible if the Pd/C is deactivated by either Hg(0) or Pb(0), obtained by reduction of metal acetate with NaBH4. Sodium phosphinate, H2P02Na, is the preferred hydride donor. Since this donor is not soluble in the Organic solvents used, a phase-transfer catalyst, benzyltriethylammonium chloride, is added.3... 

Oxidation of l,2 5,6-di-0-isopropylidene-a-D-glucofuranose (217) with ruthenium tetraoxide, using a phase-transfer catalyst, gave the 3-ulose derivative 218, which by further hydrolysis afforded D-n Zw-hexos-3-ulose 219. Benzyltriethylammonium chloride (BTEAC) was used as the catalyst. Using the same oxidant and conveniently derivatized starting materials, a-D-xy/o-hexofuranos-5-ulose, a-D-n Zw-hexofuranos-5-ulose, and /f-L-arabino-hexofuranos-5-ulose derivatives were obtained.436... 

The catalytic approach to conjugate addition is illustrated by the addition of a (3-dike tone to an aromatic enone catalysed by potassium hydroxide and benzyltriethylammonium chloride, which is a phase transfer catalyst. Once again, the catalytic cycle is initiated by deprotonation of the most acidic component in the reaction mixture, acetyl acetone, which is followed by a cycle of conjugate addition and proton exchange leading inexorably to the product. 

It is important to note that even certain phase-transfer catalysts can be carbonylated to carboxylic acids, not by cobalt tetracarbonyl anion catalysis, but by acetylcobalt tetracarbonyl. This is a slow but high-yield reaction that occurs for quaternary ammonium salts that are capable of forming reasonably stable free radicals. For example, phenylacetic acid is formed in 95% yield from benzyltriethylammonium chloride (benzyl radi-... 

Oxidation of aikenes. KMn04 can be solubilized in CH2CI2 by an equimolar amount of benzyltriethylammonium chloride. This solution can be used for homogeneous oxidation of aikenes to intermediates that can be decomposed either to dialdehydes or to s-l,2-diols. In two-phase oxidations with KMnOa and phase-transfer catalysts, diols or carboxylic acids are obtained. ... 

Benzyltriethylammonium chloride functions as a phase-transfer catalyst. The chloride is soluble in the basic aqueous phase and is converted into bcnzyltricthyl-ammonium hydroxide, soluble in the organic phase. The hydroxide ion reacts with chloroform to give dichlorocarbene with regeneration of benzyltriethylammonium chloride. 

The oxidation of c/.r-cyclooctene with basic permanganate illustrates the new method. The octene (0.1 mole) in methylene chloride is treated with a 40% aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and I g. of benzyltriethylammonium chloride. The mixture is cooled to 0° and KMn04 (0.1 mole) is added in small portions over 2 hr. with vigorous stirring after standing overnight at 0°, the precipitated MnOz is dissolved by S02. The cis-1,2-cyclooctanediol is isolated by ether extraction and crystallization in 50% yield. The yield of diol obtained without a phase-transfer catalyst is 7%.22... 

Acetates and benzoates of unbranched aldehyde enols react with chloroform in a phase-transfer catalytic system, with benzyltriethylammonium chloride as a catalyst, to form mainly or exclusively products of trichloromethyl anion addition (however, vinyl pivalate under these conditions forms the dichlorocarbene addition product almost exclusively). ... 

The chloroform/base/phase-transfer catalyst method has proved to be useful for the preparation of 2,2-dichIorocyclopropyl ketones on condition that the double bond in the starting ketones is substituted in the a-position by an alkyl group. ° Both benzyltriethylammonium chloride and polyethylene glycol (PEG 1500, in the presence of powdered potassium hydroxide) are effective catalysts for these reactions. 

The synthesis of 1,1-diiodocyclopropane is carried out via addition of diiodocarbene (car-benoid) to alkenes the carbene, in turn, is generated from iodoform and a base. The process is realized using phase-transfer catalysis,(33% or 50%aqueous sodium hydroxide and a quaternary ammonium salt, typically benzyltriethylammonium chloride, as a catalyst) or in the presence of potassium ter/-butoxide in /ert-butyl alcohol 25,127,128 g... 

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