Covalent hydration continuous-flow technique

The anomalous behavior of quinazoline was first discovered by Albert et who made the surprising observation that 4-methyl-quinazoline 2.5) was a weaker base than quinazoline (pA 3.5). Mason then observed that the ultraviolet spectrum of the quinazoline cation was abnormal but that the spectrum of 4-methylquin-azoline was normal (see Fig. 2). These anomalies led to the suggestion that water adds covalently to the cation of quinazoline to give 12 (R = H). The occurrence and position of hydration were confirmed by a detailed study of the ultraviolet and infrared spectra of the anhydrous and hydrated hydrochlorides and by mild oxidation of the cation to 4(3 )-quinazolinone. Using the rapid-reaction technique (the continuous-flow method), the spectrum of the unstable... 

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