C-Alkylation-cleavage

The procedure involves C-alkylation of an a-sulfonyl carbanion derived from 245 with alkyl halides or carbonyl compounds, followed by cleavage of the cyclopropanols 247 produced by deprotection of the hydroxy group of 246 to give (E)-substituted aldehydes141. 

Alkoxy (R0 ) radicals react at near diffusion controlled rates with trialkyl phosphites to give phosphoranyl radicals [ROP(OR )3] that typically undergo very fast -scission to generate alkyl radicals (R ) and phosphates [OP(OR )3]. In a mechanistic study, trimethyl phosphite, P(OMe)3, has been used as an efficient and selective trap in oxiranylcarbinyl radical systems formed from haloepoxides under thermal AIBN/n-Bu3SnH conditions at about 80 °C (Scheme 27) [64]. The formation of alkenes resulting from the capture of allyloxy radicals by P(OMe)3 fulfils a prior prediction that, under conditions close to kinetic control, products of C-0 cleavage (path a. Scheme 27), not just those of C-C cleavage (path b. Scheme 27) may result. 

Sulfate monoesters can react by dissociative paths, and this is the favored path. Whether such reactions are concerted or involve a very short-lived sulfur trioxide intermediate has been the subject of debate. ° Benkovic and Benkovic reported evidence suggesting that the nucleophile is present (though there is little bond formation) in the transition state for the reaction of amines with p-nitrophenyl sulfate. Alkyl esters of sulfuric or sulfonic acids normally react with C-0 cleavage only when this is disfavored, as in aryl esters, does one see S-0 cleavage. Sulfate diester... 

The energies for the stepwise intermediates for the two paths are within 11 kcal, suggesting a concerted mechanism is possible for S-0 cleavage, but that the reaction would be very slow. In fact, of course, C-0 cleavage predominates for alkyl esters. 

An unusual example of an anchimerically assisted (O—C) bond cleavage is found in the electron impact induced dissociation of alkyl silylmethyl ether 137 (33) 6). 

It was assumed that C—C bond cleavage passes through an elementary step of p-alkyl transfer. The mechanism of hydroisomerization passes also by a p-alkyl transfer step, but in this case the P-H elimination-olefin reinsertion occurs rapidly and a skeletal isomerization also occurs. 

Mechanisms involving axial coordination of the optically active amine have also been invoked, and crystal structure data on RCo(DMG)2B complexes, where R is alkyl or (R)-l-(methoxycarbonyl)ethyl, and B is (R )-a-methylbenzylamine, were obtained (316, 317). Because deuteration of the (R)-methoxycarbonyl complex gave (5)-methylpropionate-2-d, it was concluded that Co—C bond cleavage occurred with inversion of configuration at the carbon (317). It would be useful to know the mechanistic details of this step, which could involve attack by D+, DCo(III), or coordinated D, as well as D2, for it is an unusual, if not unique, observation [contrast with the usual retention mechanism outlined in Eq. (39)]. 

A number of systems have been studied where a formal ligand displacement reaction is followed by an isomerization process. One recently described example involves the cleavage of a Pt-C(alkyl) cr-bond in complexes of the type cis-[Pt(R)(R )(PEt3)2] to produce cis-[Pt(R)(PEt3)2(MeOH)]+ and R H, which subsequently isomerizes to nms-[Pt(R)(PEt3)2(MeOH)]+ (90). The first protonolysis reaction is characterized by significantly negative volumes of activation between... 

Predictably, 1,2,4-triazole is alkylated preferentially at the 1-position [36, 38,39]. Specific alkylation at the 4-position can be achieved by the initial reaction with dibromomethane to form the bis-triazol-l-ylmethane (see below), followed by quat-emization of the triazole system at the 4-position and subsequent C-N cleavage of the 1,1 -methylenebistriazolium salts [40]. 1,2,3-Benztriazole yields a mixture of the isomeric 1- and 2-alkylated derivatives [41]. The 1-isomer predominates, but the ratio depends on whether the reactions are conducted in the presence, or absence, of a nonpolar organic solvent (Table 5.33). Higher ratios of the 1-isomer are obtained under solidrliquid two-phase conditions. Thus, alkylation of 1,2,3-benztriazole with benzyl chloride produces an overall yield of 95% with the l- 2-isomer ratio of ca. 5.7 1 similar reactions with diphenylmethyl and triphenylmethyl chlorides gives overall yields of 95% (9 1 ratio) and 70% (100% 1-isomer), respectively [38], 6-Substituted purines are alkylated at the N9-atom and reaction with 1-bromo-3-chloropropane yields exclusively the 9-chloropropyl derivative (cf. reaction wi phenols) [42]. 

Under favourable circumstances, the initially formed /V-ylid reacts further through C-N cleavage. Thus, in the presence of a strong nucleophile, such as a phenoxide anion, the quaternary dichloromethylammonium cation forms an ion-pair with the phenoxide anion (Scheme 7.27), which decomposes to yield the alkyl aryl ether and the /V-formyl derivative of the secondary amine [22, 23]. Although no sound rationale is available, the reaction appears to be favoured by the presence of bulky groups at the 4-position of the aryl ring. In the absence of the bulky substituents, the Reimer-Tiemann reaction products are formed, either through the breakdown of the ion-pair, or by the more direct attack of dichlorocarbene upon the phenoxide anion [22,23],... 

Autoxidation of secondary acetonitriles under phase-transfer catalytic conditions [2] avoids the use of hazardous and/or expensive materials required for the classical conversion of the nitriles into ketones. In the course of C-alkylation of secondary acetonitriles (see Chapter 6), it had been noted that oxidative cleavage of the nitrile group frequently occurred (Scheme 10.7) [3]. In both cases, oxidation of the anionic intermediate presumably proceeds via the peroxy derivative with the extrusion of the cyanate ion [2], Advantage of the direct oxidation reaction has been made in the synthesis of aryl ketones [3], particularly of benzoylheteroarenes. The cyanomethylheteroarenes, obtained by a photochemically induced reaction of halo-heteroarenes with phenylacetonitrile, are oxidized by air under the basic conditions. Oxidative coupling of bromoacetonitriles under basic catalytic conditions has been also observed (see Chapter 6). 

The anticonvulsant agent primidone (4.246) is the 2-dihydro derivative of phenobarbital (4.247), which is one of its metabolites. The second major metabolite, 2-ethyl-2-phenylmalondiamide (4.248), is produced by a double C-N cleavage [160]. The profile of plasma levels in rats strongly suggests that 2-ethyl-2-phenylmalondiamide is not derived from the metabolite phenobarbital, but directly from primidone. Indeed, a C(2)-hydroxylated metabolite serves as an intermediate for both detected metabolites (see also Chapt. 6 in [21]). N-Alkyl derivatives of primidone yield a greater proportion of ring-opened metabolites, an observation explained by their higher susceptibility to oxidative metabolism at C(2) [161]. 

The term acid catalysis is often taken to mean proton catalysis ( specific acid catalysis ) in contrast to general acid catalysis. In this sense, acid-catalyzed hydrolysis begins with protonation of the carbonyl O-atom, which renders the carbonyl C-atom more susceptible to nucleophilic attack. The reaction continues as depicted in Fig. 7. l.a (Pathway a) with hydration of the car-bonium ion to form a tetrahedral intermediate. This is followed by acyl cleavage (heterolytic cleavage of the acyl-0 bond). Pathway b presents an mechanism that can be observed in the presence of concentrated inorganic acids, but which appears irrelevant to hydrolysis under physiological conditions. The same is true for another mechanism of alkyl cleavage not shown in Fig. 7.Fa. All mechanisms of proton-catalyzed ester hydrolysis are reversible. 

Fig. 7.2. a) The most common mechanism of base-catalyzed ester hydrolysis, namely specific base catalysis (HCT catalysis) with tetrahedral intermediate and acyl cleavage. Not shown here are an W mechanism with alkyl cleavage observed with some tertiary alkyl esters, and an 5n2 mechanism with alkyl cleavage sometimes observed with primary alkyl esters, particularly methyl esters, b) Schematic mechanism of general base catalysis in ester hydrolysis. Intermolecular catalysis (bl) and intramolecular catalysis (b2). c) The base-catalyzed hydrolysis of esters is but a particular case of nucleophilic attack. Intermolecular (cl) and intramolecular (c2). d) Spontaneous (uncatalyzed) hydrolysis. This becomes possible when the R moiety is... 

Alkyl halide anion-radicals do not have n systems entirely. Nevertheless, they are able to exist in solutions. The potential barrier for the C—Cl cleavage is estimated to be ca. 70 kJ moC (Abeywickrema and Della 1981, Eberson 1982). The carbon-halogen bond may capture one electron directly (Casado et al. 1987, Boorshtein and Gherman 1988). 

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