Diazomethane carboxylic acids

Before conducting the quantitative analysis of carboxylic acids, especially of their bifunctional derivatives, as well as high-boiling acids, they are converted into more stable and less adsorptionally active derivatives. Methyl esters are frequently used as derivatives of acids in GC analysis. To obtain methyl esters of carboxylic acids, diazomethane [101, 148, 150, 335], a methanolic solution of hydrochloric acid [164, 336], a methanolic solution of boron trifluoride [f51, 152, 337], pyrolysis of tetramethyl-ammonium salts [166, 338, 339] and other methods [181,340-344] have been used. In a number of instances [345—347] higher esters are used. The sensitivity of detection with an BCD is increased when halogen-containing reagents are used to obtain esters... 

When making methyl esters from carboxylic acids, diazomethane is generated first from diazald. Just as in the case of ozone in the ozonolysis reaction, the problem of determining oxidation states for atoms in different resonance structures of diazomethane is avoided since it is generated in situ. 

Methyl esters can be prepared with the reagent diazomethane (CH2N2). When reacted with a carboxylic acid, diazomethane becomes protonated and serves as an extremely reactive electrophile since it contains an extremely good leaving group (N2). A rapid and irreversible Sn2 displacement by the carboxyl-ate nucleophile gives the methyl ester product. 

Diasomethane Method. Diazomethane readily methylates phenolic hydroxy-compounds, primary and secondary amines, and carboxylic acids,... 

Methylation with diazomethane may be carried out as follows (FUME CUPBOARD )-. Dissolve 2-3 g. of the compound (say, a phenol or a carboxylic acid) in a little anhydrous ether or absolute methanol, cool in ice, and add the ethereal solution of diazomethane in small portions until gas evolution ceases and the solution acquires a pale yellow colour. Test the coloured solution for the presence of excess of diazomethane by removing a few drops into a test-tube and introducing a glass rod moistened with glacial acetic acid immediate evolution of gas should... 

Although it is seldom used, esterification of pyrimidinecarboxylic acids proceeds normally. Conditions are illustrated by the conversion of pyrimidine-4-carboxylic acid (181 R = H) into its methyl ester (181 R = Me) by methanol/sulfuric acid (47%), methanol/hydrogen chloride (80%), or by diazomethane (ca. 100%) (60MI21300). The isomeric methyl pyrimidine-2-carboxylate is formed by treatment of the silver salt of the acid with methyl iodide. Higher esters, e.g. (182 R = Bu), are usually made by warming the acid (182 R = H) with the appropriate alcohol and sulfuric acid (60JOC1950). 

Carboxylic acid and diazomethane Acetylene and carboxylic A Pressure B... 

The methyl ester (100, R = CH3), derived from this A-nor acid by treatment with diazomethane, is different from the ester (102) obtained either by Favorskii rearrangement of 2a-bromo-5a-cholestan-3-one (101) or by the action of cyanogen azide on 3-methoxy-5a-cholest-2-ene (103) followed by hydrolysis on alumina. The ketene intermediate involved in photolysis of (99) is expected to be hydrated from the less hindered a-side of the molecule to give the 2j -carboxylic acid. The reactions which afford (102) would be expected to afford the 2a-epimer. These configurational assignments are confirmed by deuteriochloroform-benzene solvent shifts in the NMR spectra of esters (100) and (102). ... 

Because of the high polarity of the C=N double bonds, cyanuric chloride (120, R= Cl) is comparable with a carboxylic acid chloride. This explains its smooth reaction with diazomethane to yield dichloro-(diazomcthyl)-l,3,5-triazine (121, R = The analogous com-... 

In a first step, the carboxylic acid 1 is converted into the corresponding acyl chloride 2 by treatment with thionyl chloride or phosphorous trichloride. The acyl chloride is then treated with diazomethane to give the diazo ketone 3, which is stabilized by resonance, and hydrogen chloride ... 

The latter approach is used in the enantioselective determination of a Phase I metabolite of the antihistaminic drug, terfenadine. Terfenadine is metabolized to several Phase I compounds (Fig. 7-13), among which the carboxylic acid MDL 16.455 is an active metabolite for which plasma concentrations must often be determined. Although terfenadine can be separated directly on Chiralpak AD - an amy-lose-based CSP - the adsorption of the metabolite MDL 16.455 is too high to permit adequate resolution. By derivatizing the plasma sample with diazomethane, the carboxylic acid is converted selectively to the methyl ester, which can be separated in the presence of all other plasma compounds on the above-mentioned CSP Chiralpak AD [24] (Fig. 7-14). Recently, MDL 16.455 has been introduced as a new antihistaminic drug, fexofenadine. 

One frequently used method for preparing methyl esters is by reaction of carboxylic acids with diazomethane, CH2N2. 

The reaction occurs in two steps (1) protonation of diazomethane by the carboxylic acid to yield methyldiazonium ion, CH3N2+, plus a carboxylate ion and (2) reaction of the carboxylate ion with CH3N2+. 

To set the stage for the crucial aza-Robinson annulation, a reaction in which the nucleophilic character of the newly introduced thiolactam function is expected to play an important role, it is necessary to manipulate the methyl propionate side chain in 19. To this end, alkaline hydrolysis of the methyl ester in 19, followed by treatment of the resulting carboxylic acid with isobutyl chlorofor-mate, provides a mixed anhydride. The latter substance is a reactive acylating agent that combines smoothly with diazomethane to give diazo ketone 12 (77 % overall yield from 19). 

Benzothiepins synthesized by a double Knoevenagel condensation (see Section 2.1.1.2.) contain free carboxylic acid groups if the reaction product is isolated under acidic conditions. Rcesterification can be performed by two methods via formation of the acid chloride and subsequent alcoholysis, or by reaction with diazomethane, e.g. the conversion of 3-benzo-thiepin-2,4-diearboxylic acid (5, R = C02H) with thionyl chloride and methanol gives the dimethyl ester 5 (R = C02Me) in 47% yield, while the diazomethane pathway provides 60% of the dimethyl ester.65 Use of excess diazomethane leads to cycloadducts (see Section 2.2.4.). 

Carboxylic acids can be converted to esters with diazo compounds in a reaction essentially the same as 10-15. In contrast to alcohols, carboxylic acids undergo the reaction quite well at room temperature, since the reactivity of the reagent increases with acidity. The reaction is used where high yields are important or where the acid is sensitive to higher temperatures. Because of availability, the diazo compounds most often used are diazomethane (for methyl esters) ... 

The reaction between acyl halides and diazomethane is of wide scope and is the best way to prepare diazo ketones. Diazomethane must be present in excess or the HX produced will react with the diazo ketone (10-74). This reaction is the first step of the Amdt-Eistert synthesis (18-8). Diazo ketones can also be prepared directly from a carboxylic acid and diazomethane or diazoethane in the presence of dicyclohexyl-carbodiimide. ... 

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