Carbonyl group carboxylic acid derivatives

Nucleophilic substitution on carbonyl groups carboxylic acid derivatives... 

NUCLEOPHILIC SUBSTITUTION ON CARBONYL GROUPS CARBOXYLIC ACID DERIVATIVES... 

An important example of this type of reaction is the formation of esters, which was discussed previously in connection with the reactions of alcohols in Section 15-4D. Similar addition-elimination mechanisms occur in many reactions at the carbonyl groups of acid derivatives. A less obvious example of addition to carboxyl groups involves hydride ion (H 0) and takes place in lithium aluminum hydride reduction of carboxylic acids (Sections 16-4E and 18-3C). 

The chemistry of the carbonyl group is probably the single most important aspect of organic chemical reactivity Classes of compounds that contain the carbonyl group include many derived from carboxylic acids (acyl chlorides acid anhydrides esters and amides) as well as the two related classes discussed m this chapter aldehydes and ketones... 

What structural features are responsible for the reactivity order of carboxylic acid derivatives Like the other carbonyl containing compounds that we ve studied they all have a planar arrangement of bonds to the carbonyl group Thus all are about the same in offering relatively unhindered access to the approach of a nucleophile They differ m the degree to which the atom attached to the carbonyl group can stabilize the carbonyl group by electron donation... 

Thioesters Like chlorine sulfur is a third row element with limited ability to donate a pair of 3p electrons into the carbonyl tt system With an electronegativ ity that IS much less than Cl or O however its destabilizing effect on the carbonyl group IS slight and thioesters he m the middle of the group of carboxylic acid derivatives m respect to reactivity... 

Most methods for their preparation convert one class of carboxylic acid derivative to another and the order of carbonyl group stabilization given m Figure 20 1 bears directly on the means by which these transformations may be achieved A reaction that converts one carboxylic acid derivative to another that lies below it m the figure is pracfical a reacfion fhaf converts if fo one fhaf lies above if is nol This is anofher way of saying fhaf one carboxylic acid derivative can be converted to another if the reaction leads to a more stabilized carbonyl group Numerous examples of reacfions of fhis fype will be pre senfed m fhe secfions fhaf follow... 

The first stage of the mechanism is exactly the same as for nucleophilic addition to the carbonyl group of an aldehyde or ketone Many of the same nucleophiles that add to aldehydes and ketones—water (Section 17 6) alcohols (Section 17 8) amines (Sections 17 10-17 11)—add to the carbonyl groups of carboxylic acid derivatives... 

Conversions of acid anhydrides to other carboxylic acid derivatives are illustrated m Table 20 2 Because a more highly stabilized carbonyl group must result m order for nucleophilic acyl substitution to be effective acid anhydrides are readily converted to carboxylic acids esters and amides but not to acyl chlorides... 

The carbonyl group of an amide is stabilized to a greater extent than that of an acyl chlo ride acid anhydride or ester amides are formed rapidly and m high yield from each of these carboxylic acid derivatives... 

Infrared IR spectroscopy is quite useful in identifying carboxylic acid derivatives The, carbonyl stretching vibration is very strong and its position is sensitive to the nature of IKT the carbonyl group In general electron donation from the substituent decreases the double bond character of the bond between carbon and oxygen and decreases the stretch mg frequency Two distinct absorptions are observed for the symmetric and antisym metric stretching vibrations of the anhydride function... 

Section 20 2 The structure and reactivity of carboxylic acid derivatives depend on how well the atom bonded to the carbonyl group donates electrons to it... 

There are large differences in reactivity among the various carboxylic acid derivatives, such as amides, esters, and acyl chlorides. One important factor is the resonance stabilization provided by the heteroatom. This decreases in the order N > O > Cl. Electron donation reduces the electrophilicity of the carbonyl group, and the corresponding stabilization is lost in the tetrahedral intermediate. 

FIGURE 20.1 Structure, reactivity, and carbonyl-group stabilization in carboxylic acid derivatives. Acyl chlorides are the most reactive, amides the least reactive. Acyl chlorides have the least stabilized carbonyl group, amides the most. Conversion of one class of compounds to another is feasible only in the direction that leads to a more stabilized carbonyl group that is, from more reactive to less reactive. 

Mass Spectrometry A prominent peak in the mass spectra of most carboxylic acid derivatives conesponds to an acylium ion derived by cleavage of the bond to the carbonyl group ... 

Tetrahedral intermediate (Section 19.14 and Chapter 20) The key intermediate in nucleophilic acyl substitution. Formed by nucleophilic addition to the carbonyl group of a carboxylic acid derivative. 

Carboxylic acid derivatives, CH3C(=0)Z, are similar to aldehydes and ketones in that they contain a polar carbonyl group. Therefore, nucleophiles should add to the carbonyl carbon, although the rate of addition may depend on the Z group. 

One way to investigate the electrophilic properties of these molecules is to examine the orbital that each uses to accept electrons from a nucleophile. This orbital is the lowest-unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO). Examine the LUMO for methyl acetate (Z=OCH3), acetaldehyde (Z=H), N,N-dimethylacetamide (Z=N(CH3)2) and acetyl chloride (Z=C1) (acetaldehyde is not a carboxylic acid derivative, but is included here for comparison). What is the shape of the LUMO in the region of the carbonyl group Is it a o or 7U orbital Is it bonding or antibonding What other atoms contribute to the LUMO Which bonds, if any, would be weakened when a nucleophile transfers its electrons into the LUMO ... 

The second fundamental reaction of carbonyl compounds, nucleophilic acyl substitution, is related to the nucleophilic addition reaction just discussed but occurs only with carboxylic acid derivatives rather than with aldehydes and ketones. When the carbonyl group of a carboxylic acid derivative reacts with a nucleophile, addition occurs in the usual way, but the initially formed tetra-... 

As a general rule, nucleophilic addition reactions are characteristic only of aldehydes and ketones, not of carboxylic acid derivatives. The reason for the difference is structural. As discussed previously in A Preview of Carbonyl Compounds and shown in Figure 19.14, the tetrahedral intermediate produced by addition of a nucleophile to a carboxylic acid derivative can eliminate a leaving group, leading to a net nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction. The tetrahedral intermediate... 

The addition of a nucleophile to a polar C=0 bond is the key step in thre< of the four major carbonyl-group reactions. We saw in Chapter 19 that when. nucleophile adds to an aldehyde or ketone, the initially formed tetrahedra intermediate either can be protonated to yield an alcohol or can eliminate th< carbonyl oxygen, leading to a new C=Nu bond. When a nucleophile adds to carboxylic acid derivative, however, a different reaction course is followed. Tin initially formed tetrahedral intermediate eliminates one of the two substituent originally bonded to the carbonyl carbon, leading to a net nucleophilic acy substitution reaction (Figure 21.1. ... 

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