Catalytic alkylations

Isopropylnaphthalenes can be prepared readily by the catalytic alkylation of naphthalene with propjiene. 2-lsopropylnaphthalene [2027-17-0] is an important intermediate used in the manufacture of 2-naphthol (see Naphthalenederivatives). The alkylation of naphthalene with propjiene, preferably in an inert solvent at 40—100°C with an aluminum chloride, hydrogen fluoride, or boron trifluoride—phosphoric acid catalyst, gives 90—95% wt % 2-isopropylnaphthalene however, a considerable amount of polyalkylate also is produced. Preferably, the propylation of naphthalene is carried out in the vapor phase in a continuous manner, over a phosphoric acid on kieselguhr catalyst under pressure at ca 220—250°C. The alkylate, which is low in di- and polyisopropylnaphthalenes, then is isomerized by recycling over the same catalyst at 240°C or by using aluminum chloride catalyst at 80°C. After distillation, a product containing >90 wt % 2-isopropylnaphthalene is obtained (47). 

Although the alkylation of paraffins can be carried out thermally (3), catalytic alkylation is the basis of all processes in commercial use. Early studies of catalytic alkylation led to the formulation of a proposed mechanism based on a chain of ionic reactions (4—6). The reaction steps include the formation of a light tertiary cation, the addition of the cation to an olefin to form a heavier cation, and the production of a heavier paraffin (alkylate) by a hydride transfer from a light isoparaffin. This last step generates another light tertiary cation to continue the chain. 

The first step in the catalytic alkylation of aromatics is the conversion of an olefin or olefin-producing reagent into a carbonium ion or polari2ed complex. Then, this carbonium ion or complex, which is a powerful electrophile, attacks the aromatic ring (32). 

The alkylation of pyridine [110-86-1] takes place through nucleophiUc or homolytic substitution because the TT-electron-deficient pyridine nucleus does not allow electrophiUc substitution, eg, Friedel-Crafts alkylation. NucleophiUc substitution, which occurs with alkah or alkaline metal compounds, and free-radical processes are not attractive for commercial appHcations. Commercially, catalytic alkylation processes via homolytic substitution of pyridine rings are important. The catalysts effective for this reaction include boron phosphate, alumina, siHca—alurnina, and Raney nickel (122). 

Catalytic alkylation of aniline with diethyl ether, in the presence of mixed metal oxide catalysts, preferably titanium dioxide in combination with molybdenum oxide and/or ferric oxide, gives 63% V/-alkylation and 12% ring alkylation (14). 

Ethylbenzene can also be produced by catalytic alkylation of benzene with ethylene. Benzene is alkylated with ethylene in a fixed bed alkylator. An excess of benzene is used to suppress the formation of di- and triethyl- benzenes. The excess benzene is removed from the alkylate by fractionation and recycled to the alkylator. The ethylbenzene is separated from the polyalkylated benzenes which are in turn fed to a separate reactor. Here benzene is added to convert the polyalkylated benzenes to monoethylbenzene by transalkylation. 

In the mid-1960s a series of papers by Makosza and Serafinowa (1965, 1966) appeared under the common title Reactions of Organic Anions , in which the catalytic alkylation of phenylacetonitrile and its derivatives carried out in the presence of concentrated NaOH and the catalyst triethylbenzylammonium chloride (TEBA) was described. This was the beginning of phase-transfer catalysis (PTC), and since then thousands of papers haven been published on the subject. 

An enantioselective synthesis of both (R)- and (5)-a-alkylcysteines 144 and 147 is based on the phase-transfer catalytic alkylation of fert-butyl esters of 2-phenyl-2-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid and 2-ort/ro-biphenyl-2-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid, 142 and 145 <06JOC8276>. Treatment of 142 and 145 with alkyl halides and potassium hydroxide in the presence of chiral catalysts 140 and 141 gives the alkylated products, which are hydrolyzed to (R)- and (S)-a-alkylcysteines 144 and 147, respectively, in high enantioselectivity. This method may have potential for the practical synthesis of chiral a-alkylcysteines. 

In a related study involving structurally similar chiral methylzinc anisyl fencholates, both chiral amplification and depletion were observed in the catalytic alkylations of benzaldehyde.209 Thus, methylzinc anisyl fencholates, bearing sterically small substituents in the ortho-position of the anisyl group, crystallized preferentially as homochiral dimers, as shown for the methyl-substituted anisyl group in Scheme 91. Because of the greater stability of the homochiral dimers, scalemic mixtures of both enantiomers of the ligand showed a chiral depletion of the benzyl alcohol. 

CD-Cumene A process for making cumene for subsequent conversion to phenol and acetone. The cumene is made by catalytic alkylation of benzene with propylene in a catalytic distillation reactor. Developed in 1995 by CDTech. 

Q-Max A process for making cumene from benzene and propylene by catalytic alkylation using a proprietary legenerable zeolite catalyst. Developed by UOP and first installed in 1996 by JLM Chemicals in Illinois. 

Enantioselective Synthesis by Tandem Catalytic RCM and Catalytic Alkylation... 

The resolution of rac-20 represents a less common form of catalytic kinetic resolution (parallel kinetic resolution) [9]. In conventional kinetic resolution, one substrate enantiomer reacts preferably to leave behind the unreacted isomer in high optical purity (e.g., rac-18 (k)-19 in Scheme 4). In this instance, both starting material enantiomers undergo catalytic alkylation to give constitutional isomers. Since both enantiomers are consumed simultaneously, as the reaction proceeds, the amount of slow enantiomer (relative to the unreacted fast enantiomer) does not increase. Therefore, product ee remains high, even at relatively high conversions. 

Nucleophilic addition of metal alkyls to carbonyl compounds in the presence of a chiral catalyst has been one of the most extensively explored reactions in asymmetric synthesis. Various chiral amino alcohols as well as diamines with C2 symmetry have been developed as excellent chiral ligands in the enantiose-lective catalytic alkylation of aldehydes with organozincs. Although dialkylzinc compounds are inert to ordinary carbonyl substrates, certain additives can be used to enhance their reactivity. Particularly noteworthy is the finding by Oguni and Omi103 that a small amount of (S)-leucinol catalyzes the reaction of diethylzinc to form (R)-l-phenyl-1 -propanol in 49% ee. This is a case where the... 

In 1997, Whitby reported that treatment of 2,5-dihydrofuran with Et3Al in the presence of 5 mol% 31 leads to the enantioselective formation of 39 (Scheme 6.13), rather than the product obtained from catalytic carbomagnesations (40) [34]. This outcome can be rationalized on the basis of Dzhemilev s pioneering report that with Et3Al, in contrast to the mechanism that ensues with EtMgCl (see Scheme 6.2), the intermediate alumina-cyclopentane (i) is converted to the corresponding aluminaoxacyclopentane ii. To ensure the predominant formation of 39, catalytic alkylations must be carried out in absence of solvent. 

An important observation in the area of Zr-catalyzed carboaluminations of alkenes is that made by Wipf and Ribe that addition of water leads to substantial acceleration of the C—C bond-forming process [35]. Thus, as illustrated in Scheme 6.14, whereas catalytic alkylation of the silylated alkene 41 does not afford any of the desired product, upon addition of one equivalent of water, 42 is formed in 85 % yield with 80 % ee. As is also depicted in Scheme 6.14, carboaluminations of unsaturated alcohols are less efficient (—> 43, but better than reactions without water), while those involving alkenes that bear an a-branched substituent are less selective (—> 44). Another impressive example of rate... 

SnCl4 system in hydrocarbons [29, 30] or CC14 [23] can probably be directly ascribed to the presence of variable amounts of moisture and, in CC14 of co-catalytic alkyl halides. 

The mechanism of catalytic alkylation is later in the example of benzene isopropylation ... 

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