Cumulated unsaturated systems, reactions

The finding that the Grignard reagent did not add to diphenylketene in a manner like that generally accepted then for addition reactions to ketenes, led logically to a study of some other related terminal cumulated unsaturated systems ... 

There are few reports of successful one-step synthesis of primary diamines, and the examples are limited to amines with a special structure. Amination of 1,4-cy-clohexanediol in supercritical ammonia (135 bar) over a Co-Fe catalyst alforded 67 % 1,4-diaminocyclohexane [21]. Excess ammonia, as both supercritical solvent and reactant, and short contact time in the continuous fixed-bed reactor favored the desired reactions. In the best example the cumulative selectivity for the diamine and the intermediate amino alcohol was 97 % at 76 % conversion. Recycling of the unreacted diol and amino alcohol can provide an alternative to the eurrent process, the hydrogenation of pnra-phenylenediamine. The high seleetivity was because of the rigid structure and the relative positions of OH functionality in the substrate. For comparison, amination of 1,4-butanediol under similar conditions yielded pyiTolidine as the major product 1,4-diaminobutane was barely detectable. When 1,3-cyclohexanediol was aminated with the same catalyst in the continuous system, the yield of 1,3-diaminoeyclohexane dropped below 5%, mainly because elimination of water led to undesired monofunctional products via a,/9-unsaturated alcohol, ketone, and/or amine intermediates [22]. 

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