C-Alkylations

It may be pointed out that C-alkylation of ethyl acetoacetate is readily aooount for by the mesomeric nature of the carbanion (IV), as will be evident from the following ... 

Studying alkylations, we developed a series of selective ionic alkylating agents. Although Meerwein s trialkyloxonium and dialkoxycar-benium salts are widely used as transfer alkylating agents, they lack selectivity and generally are incapable of C-alkylation. 

In eontrast, dialkylhalonium salts sueh as dimethylbromonium and dimethyliodonium fluoroantimonate, whieh we prepared from excess alkyl halides with antimony pentafluoride or fluoroantimonie acid and isolated as stable salts (the less-stable chloronium salts were obtained only in solution), are very effective alkylating agents for heteroatom eompounds (Nu = R2O, R2S, R3N, R3P, ete.) and for C-alkylation (arenes, alkenes). 

For b the Diels-Alder now looks best. For c alkylation with the aUyl hafide looks good. There are of course other solutions, but continue the analysis along these lines. 

Chemoselective C-alkylation of the highly acidic and enolic triacetic acid lactone 104 (pAl, = 4.94) and tetronic acid (pA, = 3.76) is possible by use of DBU[68]. No 0-alkylation takes place. The same compound 105 is obtained by the regioslective allylation of copper-protected methyl 3,5-dioxohexano-ate[69]. It is known that base-catalyzed alkylation of nitro compounds affords 0-alkylation products, and the smooth Pd-catalyzed C-allylation of nitroalkanes[38.39], nitroacetate[70], and phenylstilfonylnitromethane[71] is possible. Chemoselective C-allylation of nitroethane (106) or the nitroacetate 107 has been applied to the synthesis of the skeleton of the ergoline alkaloid 108[70]. 

Alkylation can also be accomplished with electrophilic alkenes. There is a dichotomy between basic and acidic conditions. Under basic conditions, where the indole anion is the reactive nucleophile, A-alkylation occurs. Under acidic conditions C-alkylation is observed. The reaction of indole with 4-vinylpyri-dine is an interesting illustration. Good yields of the 3-alkylation product are obtained in refluxing acetic acid[18] whereas if the reaction is done in ethanol containing sodium ethoxide 1-alkylation occurs[19]. Table 11.2 gives some examples of 3-alkylation using electrophilic alkenes. 

Fig. 25. Cross-linking reactions in a three-component resist system. Both O-alkylation and C-alkylation are shown.

A/-sulfonated ayiridines have also been used in Friedel-Crafts reactions (qv) (63). The successful C-alkylation of the heteroaromatic compounds indole (qv) [120-72-9] (64—66) and thiophene [110-02-1] (67) with a2itidines has also been reported ... 

V-Alkylaniline and /V,/V-di alkyl aniline hydrochlorides can be rearranged to C-alkyl anilines by heating the salts to 200—300°C. In this reaction, known as the Hofmann-Martius rearrangement, the alkyl group preferentially migrates to the para position. If this position is occupied, the ortho position is alkylated. 

C-alkyl (9-toluidine C HgN [95-53P H3CC3H,NH3 yeUow Hquid 200-20 triphenylmethane dyes ... 

N-Alkylpyrroles may be obtained by the Knorr synthesis or by the reaction of the pyrrolyl metallates, ie, Na, K, and Tl, with alkyl haUdes such as iodomethane, eg, 1-methylpyrrole [96-54-8]. Alkylation of pyrroles at the other ring positions can be carried out under mild conditions with allyhc or hensylic hahdes or under more stringent conditions (100—150°C) with CH I. However, unless most of the other ring positions are blocked, poly alkylation and polymerisation tend to occur. N-Alkylation of pyrroles is favored by polar solvents and weakly coordinating cations (Na", K" ). More strongly coordinating cations (Li", Mg " ) lead to more C-alkylation. 

Carbon is alkylated ia the form of enolates or as carbanions. The enolates are ambident ia activity and can react at an oxygen or a carbon. For example, refluxing equimolar amounts of dimethyl sulfate and ethyl acetoacetate with potassium carbonate gives a 36% yield of the 0-methylation product, ie, ethyl 3-methoxy-2-butenoate, and 30% of the C-methylation product, ie, ethyl 2-methyl-3-oxobutanoate (26). Generally, only one alkyl group of the sulfate reacts with beta-diketones, beta-ketoesters, or malonates (27). Factors affecting the 0 C alkylation ratio have been extensively studied (28). Reaction ia the presence of soHd Al O results mosdy ia C-alkylation of ethyl acetoacetate (29). 

Carbanions ia the form of phenyllithium, sodium naphthalene complex, sodium acetyHde, or aromatic Grignard reagents react with alkyl sulfates to give a C-alkyl product (30—33). Grignard reagents require two moles of dimethyl sulfate for complete reaction. 

SuIfona.tlon, Sulfonation is a common reaction with dialkyl sulfates, either by slow decomposition on heating with the release of SO or by attack at the sulfur end of the O—S bond (63). Reaction products are usually the dimethyl ether, methanol, sulfonic acid, and methyl sulfonates, corresponding to both routes. Reactive aromatics are commonly those with higher reactivity to electrophilic substitution at temperatures > 100° C. Tn phenylamine, diphenylmethylamine, anisole, and diphenyl ether exhibit ring sulfonation at 150—160°C, 140°C, 155—160°C, and 180—190°C, respectively, but diphenyl ketone and benzyl methyl ether do not react up to 190°C. Diphenyl amine methylates and then sulfonates. Catalysis of sulfonation of anthraquinone by dimethyl sulfate occurs with thaHium(III) oxide or mercury(II) oxide at 170°C. Alkyl interchange also gives sulfation. 

Selectivity, Steering of reaction directions by the type of catalyst cation, eg, O- vs C-alkylation (7), substitution vs dibalocarbene addition (8), as weU as enantioselective alkylations by optical active catalysts (9) have been achieved in some systems. Extensive development is necessary, however, to generate satisfactorily large effects. 

C-Alkylations may be discussed under the headings of alkene reactions and A/-alkyl rearrangements. The isopropylation of benzene and naphthalene are two important examples of alkylation with alkenes (see Alkylation). Manufacture of j butylaniline, by heating /V-butylaniline with 2inc chloride, typifies the rearrangement reaction appropriate to and higher alkyl derivatives. 

Dimethylsulfonium phenacylide (574) underwent C-alkylation with a-chloronitroso compounds such as (575). The intermediate (576) immediately cyclized to the isoxazoline (577). With a more basic ylide such as dimethylsulfonium methoxycarbonylmethylide the initial alkylation product underwent elimination of the sulfonium group to an alkene rather than its displacement (72T3845). 

Only the anion (239) is susceptible to C-alkylation in the 4-position. The two other anions (240) and (241) can only give rise to O-and A-substituted derivatives which result in the asymmetry of Scheme 19. 

C-Alkylation of pyrazoles was a rather uneommon reaction until Grandberg and Kost found the experimental conditions necessary to obtain high yields of 4-benzylpyrazoles (66AHC(6)347). With A-unsubstituted pyrazoles a large excess of aluminum ehloride is neeessary to aeeomplish alkylation at C-4. 

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