Self aldol condensation

Derivatization of the optically active aldehydes to imines has been used for determination of their enantiomeric excess. Chi et al.3 have examined a series of chiral primary amines as a derivatizing agent in determination of the enantiomeric purity of the a-substituted 8-keto-aldehydes obtained from catalysed Michael additions. The imine proton signals were well resolved even if the reaction was not completed. The best results were obtained when chiral amines with —OMe or —COOMe groups were used [2], The differences in chemical shifts of diastereo-meric imine proton were ca. 0.02-0.08 ppm depending on amine. This method has been also used for identification of isomers of self-aldol condensation of hydrocinnamaldehyde. 

Trost s group reported direct catalytic enantioselective aldol reaction of unmodified ketones using dinuclear Zn complex 21 [Eq. (13.10)]. This reaction is noteworthy because products from linear aliphatic aldehydes were also obtained in reasonable chemical yields and enantioselectivity, in addition to secondary and tertiary alkyl-substituted aldehydes. Primary alkyl-substituted aldehydes are normally problematic substrates for direct aldol reaction because self-aldol condensation of the aldehydes complicates the reaction. Bifunctional Zn catalysis 22 was proposed, in which one Zn atom acts as a Lewis acid to activate an aldehyde and the other Zn-alkoxide acts as a Bronsted base to generate a Zn-enolate. The... 

Several NaOH-treated ionic liquids for self- and cross-aldol condensation reactions of propanal provide an interesting example illustrating improved product selectivity in a system in which competing reactions take place (109). In the self-aldol condensation reaction of propanal, 2-methylpent-2-enal is formed. The reaction progresses through an aldol intermediate and produces the unsaturated aldehyde. The NaOH-treated ionic liquid [BDMIM]PF gave the highest product... 

II reaction under similar conditions at temperatures between 80 and 100°C and with a four-fold excess of 2-methylpentanal (to compensate for the low solubility), the selectivity for the Aldol II product (80%) was 20% higher in [BMIMJEF NaOH than in the water/NaOH system, both at 100% propanal conversion. The increased selectivity was attributed to the higher solubility of the reactant 2-methylpentanal in the ionic liquid phase than in the water phase. The higher solubility of 2-methylpentanal effectively suppressed the self-aldol condensation in the ionic liquid. 

The activated Ba(OH)2 was used as a basic catalyst for the Claisen-Schmidt (CS) condensation of a variety of ketones and aromatic aldehydes (288). The reactions were performed in ethanol as solvent at reflux temperature. Excellent yields of the condensation products were obtained (80-100%) within 1 h in a batch reactor. Reaction rates and yields were generally higher than those reported for alkali metal hydroxides as catalysts. Neither the Cannizaro reaction nor self-aldol condensation of the ketone was observed, a result that was attributed to the catalyst s being more nucleophilic than basic. Thus, better selectivity to the condensation product was observed than in homogeneous catalysis under similar conditions. It was found that the reaction takes place on the catalyst surface, and when the reactants were small ketones, the rate-determining step was found to be the surface reaction, whereas with sterically hindered ketones the adsorption process was rate determining. 

Ishii has shown that diversely substituted pyrroles 152 can be prepared by a one-pot operation involving formation of intermediate a,/ -un saturated imines 153 via a SmCl3-catalyzed self-aldol-type condensation. The targeted heterocydes are formed upon addition of a nitroalkane and subsequent cyclization according to the mechanism depicted in Scheme 8.64 [140]. Interestingly, a,/i-unsaturated ketones also participate in this process. 

The lower yield may be explained by the fact that linear aldehydes also undergo self-aldol condensation, which is in direct competition with the crossed-aldol reaction. Aromatic aldehydes as the carbonyl component led to reduced diastereoselectivity. For example, the (.S )-prolinc-catalyzed aldol reaction of 4 with ort/tochlorobenzaldehyde proceeded with a good yield of 73%, but with an anti/syn ratio of only 4 1 and enantiomeric excesses of 86% ee (anti) and 70% ee (syn). 

Problem 17.25 Which of the following alkanes can be synthesized from a self-aldol condensation product of an aldehyde [see Problem 17.24(a)] or a symmetrical ketone (a) CH3CH2CH2CH2CH(CH3)CH2CH2CH3, (b) CH3CH2CH2CH2CH(CH3)CH2CH3, (c) (CH3)2CHCH2CH2CH3, ([Pg.390]

Whereas a lower temperature is essential to mediate deprotonation with DATMP, diisobutyl aluminum phenoxide requires quite a high temperature (THF, reflux) to generate the aluminum enolates, with the aid of a shght excess of pyridine (Scheme 6.24) [44], Self aldol condensation of ketone 47 proceeded with acceptable yield under these conditions. An efficient synfhesis of tfl-muscone was achieved by way of an intramolecular aldol reaction by use of these reagents. 

The self-aldol condensation of unmodified aldehydes in toluene catalyzed by propylamines supported on mesoporous silica FSM-16 (surface area 881 iirg has been reported.The aminopropyl groups (propylamine, N-methylpropylamine and A. A -diciliylpropylaiiiinc) were anchored on FSM-16 silica by post-modification methodology by using 3-aminopropyl-, A -methyl-3-aminopropyl- and A, A -diethyl-3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane respectively (Scheme 3.3). ... 

Nucleophilic reactions of unmodified aldehydes are usually diiScult to control, affording complex mixture of products, often due to the high reactivity of the formyl group under either basic or acidic reaction conditions. The activity order of the supported amines was secondary > primary > tertiary, which may suggest the intervention of an enamine pathway the enals were exclusively obtained as ( ) isomers. Notably, FSM-16-(CH2)3-NHMe exhibited higher activity than conventional solid bases such as MgO and Mg-Al-hydrotalcite [hexanal self-aldol condensation FSM-16-(CH2)3-NHMe 97% conversion and 85% yield in 2h, MgO 56% conversion and 26% yield in 20 h, Mg-Al-hydrotalcite 22% conversion and 11% yield in 24 h]. 

Of the various imines known to condense with active methylene compounds, a-arylimines have been the most widely used, especially in earlier work, because of their stability, ease of preparation and the absence of enolizable protons. Aliphatic imines containing enolizable protons have broader synthetic applications but their use is more restricted because they are prone to deprotonation and self aldol type condensations. As will be discussed, new methods utilizing Lewis acids and the less basic boron enolates have been devised to overcome the problem of deprotonation. Other innovations that have extended the scope of imine condensations include in situ methods for the preparation of elusive formaldehyde imines (CH2=NR2> and the utilization of A/-heterosubstituted imines (N = Si, O and S) for the synthesis of primary Mannich bases and A(-unsubstituted 3-lactams, available via hydrolysis or reduction of the N—X bond. 

Recently, Dominguez de Maria and co-workers [45] have studied experimentally the influence of the organocatalyst on the outcome of the aldol reaction reaction between acetone and isobutyraldehyde. Qrganocatalysts able to form bicyclic oxazolidine intermediates (proUne and prolinol) led predominantly to aldol adducts, while organocatalysts unable to form these oxazolidines (pyrrolidine, O-methyl prolinol and proline tcrt-butyl ester) afforded preferently (>2.5 1) the condensation product. In summary, most of the experimental evidence points toward a distinct catalytic role of oxazoUdinone intermediates in proline-catalyzed reactions. It should be pointed out, however, that DPT studies of the proline-catalyzed self-aldol reaction of propanal, in which the enamine carboxylic acid and the oxazoUdinone pathways were compared, concluded that the Seebach model was inadequate for rationalizing... 

The enolate ion is nucleophilic at the alpha carbon. Enolates prepared from aldehydes are difficult to control, since aldehydes are also very good electrophiles and a dimerization reaction often occurs (self-aldol condensation). However, the enolate of a ketone is a versatile synthetic tool since it can react with a wide variety of electrophiles. For example, when treated with an unhindered alkyl halide (RX), an enolate will act as a nucleophile in an Sn2 mechanism that adds an alkyl group to the alpha carbon. This two-step a-alkylation process begins by deprotonation of a ketone with a strong base, such as lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) at -78°C, followed by the addition of an alkyl halide. Since the enolate nucleophile is also strongly basic, the alkyl halide must be unhindered to avoid the competing E2 elimination (ideal RX for Sn2 = 1°, ally lie, benzylic). 

The self-aldol reaction of aldehydes and ketones gives either P-hydroxy carbonyl or a,P-unsaturated carbonyl products. When the same reaction mechanism is applied to esters, the reaction is called the Claisen condensation. Like the aldol reaction, the Claisen condensation involves the attack of an enolate (or enol) nucleophile on a carbonyl electrophile. However, subsequent elimination of the leaving group creates a P-keto ester product. If this 1,3-dicarbonyl pattern is present in a TM, it is an indication that the TM might be the product of a Claisen condensation, and a Claisen disconnection will be one option for retrosynthesis. 

Mixed aldol reactions between different aldehydes or ketones are usually plagued by formation of a mixture of products, because each component can function as a CH-acidic and carbonyl-active compound. Whereas the directed aldol reaction [14-16] is a rather general solution to this problem, the traditional aldol addition of non-identical carbonyl compounds is only successful when applied within the framework of a limited substitution pattern. Thus, a fruitful combination in mixed aldol reactions is that of an aldehyde with an enolizable ketone. Obviously, the aldehyde, having higher carbonyl reactivity, reacts as the electrophilic component, whereas the ketone, with comparatively lower carbonyl reactivity, serves as the CH-acidic counterpart. Because the self-aldolization of ketones is endothermic, this type of side reaction does not occur to a significant extent, so the product of the mixed aldol condensation is obtained in fair yield, as illustrated by the formation of ketone 6 from citral 5 and acetone, a key step in the synthesis of j5-ionone (Eq. (7)) [17]. 

A Mannich-type condensation mechanism involving an iminium ion electrophile similar to the aminocatalytic Knoevenagel reaction has recently been proposed for the amine-catalyzed self-aldolization of propionaldehyde (Eq. (6)) [55]. Although this mechanism is not unreasonable it should be... 

The netv reaction conditions effectively suppressed aldehyde self-aldolization. The main side product vas now the corresponding acetone cross aldol condensation product, typically formed in comparable yields vrith the desired aldol addition product. 

Antibodies 38C2 and 33F12 also catalyzed self-aldol condensations of pro-pionaldehyde and provided the aldol-elimination product 26, and the antibodies did not catalyze the consecutive aldol reaction of 26 with propionalde-hyde (Scheme 6.3). The antibodies did not catalyze the self-aldol reactions of aldehydes bearing a longer alkyl chain (> valeraldehyde, for example, aldehydes 3, 12, and 13). It might not be possible for the antibody to accept two... 

Dicarbonyl compounds condense with aldehydes and ketones that do not undergo self-aldol reaction. The products are afi-unsaturated dicarbonyl compounds, and the process goes by the colorful name of Knoevenagel condensation, (a) An example of a Knoevenagel condensation is given below. Propose a mechanism. 

Scheme 17.7 Key mechanistic possibilities in proline-catalyzed self aldol condensation between two molecules of propanal. Reproduced from Reference [35] with permission from Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH.

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