Cyanides, in synthesis

There exist a number of d -synthons, which are stabilized by the delocalization of the electron pair into orbitals of hetero atoms, although the nucleophilic centre remains at the carbon atom. From nitroalkanes anions may be formed in aqueous solutions (e.g. CHjNOj pK, = 10.2). Nitromethane and -ethane anions are particularly useful in synthesis. The cyanide anion is also a classical d -synthon (HCN pK = 9.1). 

Carboxyl and nitrile groups are usually introduced in synthesis with commercial carboxylic acid derivatives, nitriles, or cyanide anion. Carbanions can be carboxylated with carbon dioxide (H.F. Ebel, 1970) or dialkyl carbonate (J. Schmidlin, 1957). 

Aryl, heteroaryl, and alkenyl cyanides are prepared by the reaction of halides[656-658] or triflates[659,660] with KCN or LiCN in DMF, HMPA, and THF. Addition of crown ethers[661] and alumina[662] promotes efficient aryl and alkenyl cyanation. lodobenzene is converted into benzonitrile (794) by the reaction of trimethylsiiyl cyanide in EtiN as a solvent. No reaction takes place with aryl bromides and chlorides[663]. The reaction was employed in an estradiol synthesis. The 3-hydroxy group in 796 was derived from the iodide 795 by converting it into a cyano group[664]. 

Methoxythiophene and 3-cyanothiophene have been prepared from 3-bromothiophene by means of a cupric oxide-catalyzed Williamson synthesis and by reaction with cuprous cyanide in quinoline, respectively. 

Silver cyanide, reaction with alkyl halides in synthesis of iso-cyamdes, 46, 77... 

Woodward s strychnine synthesis commences with a Fischer indole synthesis using phenylhydrazine (24) and acetoveratrone (25) as starting materials (see Scheme 2). In the presence of polyphosphor-ic acid, intermediates 24 and 25 combine to afford 2-veratrylindole (23) through the reaction processes illustrated in Scheme 2. With its a position suitably masked, 2-veratrylindole (23) reacts smoothly at the ft position with the Schiff base derived from the action of dimethylamine on formaldehyde to give intermediate 22 in 92% yield. TV-Methylation of the dimethylamino substituent in 22 with methyl iodide, followed by exposure of the resultant quaternary ammonium iodide to sodium cyanide in DMF, provides nitrile 26 in an overall yield of 97%. Condensation of 2-veratryl-tryptamine (20), the product of a lithium aluminum hydride reduction of nitrile 26, with ethyl glyoxylate (21) furnishes Schiff base 19 in a yield of 92%. 

Schemes 15 and 16 summarize the syntheses of intermediates that represent rings A and D of vitamin Bi2 by the Eschenmoser group. Treatment of lactam/lactone 51, the precursor to B-ring intermediate 8 (whose synthesis has already been described, see Scheme 8), with potassium cyanide in methanol induces cleavage of the y-lac-tone ring and furnishes intermediate 76 after esterification of the newly formed acetic acid chain with diazomethane. Intermediate 76 is produced as a mixture of diastereomers, epimeric at the newly formed stereocenter, in a yield exceeding 95%. Selective conversion of the lactam carbonyl in 76 into the corresponding thiolactam...

A second reaction which is very often used for the preparation of phthalonitriles, although the yields are usually not reproducible, is the Rosenmund-von Braun reaction (see Houben-Weyl, Vol. E5, p 1460).106 107 Herein, a benzene derivative with a 1,2-dibromidc or 1,2-dich-loride unit is treated with copper(I) cyanide in dimethylformamidc or pyridine. During this reaction the formation of the respective copper phthalocyanine often occurs. This can be used as an easy procedure for the exclusive synthesis of copper phthalocyanines (see Section 2.1.1.7.),1 os-109 but can also lead to problems if the phthalonitrile is required as the product. For example, if l,2-dibromo-4-trifluoromethyl-benzene is subjected to a Rosenmund-von Braun reaction no 4-trifluoromethylphthalonitrile but only copper tetra(tri-fluoromethyljphthalocyanine is isolated.110... 

An efficient stereoselective Strecker synthesis of phenylglycine has been achieved using the tert-butyl ester tm-leucine as the chiral auxiliary. Its benzaldimine reacts with hydrogen cyanide in hexane at — 23 °C to furnish the ( )-diastereomer with the excellent diastereoselectivity of >98 254. 

Cyano-de-diazoniations of the Sandmeyer type have been used for the synthesis of aromatic nitriles for many decades (example Clarke and Reed, 1964), as cyanide ions are comparable to bromide and iodide in many respects. A homolytic cyano-de-diazo-niation that does not use metal ions as reductant or ligand transfer reagent was described by Petrillo et al. (1987). They showed that substituted diazosulfides (XC6H4 — N2 — SC6H5), either isolated or generated in situ from arenediazonium tetrafluoroborates and sodium benzenethiolate, react with tetrabutylammonium cyanide in dimethylsulfoxide under photon stimulation, leading to nitriles (XC6H4CN). The method worked well with eleven benzenediazonium ions substituted in the 3- or 4-position, and was also used for the synthesis of phthalo-, isophthalo-, and tere-... 

Fig. 4.9 A synthesis resulting in polypeptides (or compounds similar to polypeptides using amino-malonitrile and further adding hydrogen cyanide. In this process, R 15 may represent different side chains of amino acids...

Silicon tetraisothiocyanate, reaction with 2,6-dimethylaniline to yield 2,6-diraethylphenyl thiourea, 46, 70 Silver cyanide, reaction with alkyl halides in synthesis of isocyanides, 46, 77... 

A benzotriazole-assisted synthesis of ethyl 5-aminoimidazo[2,l-h]thia-zole-6-carboxylate 65 has been developed (96TL1787). Traces of compound 63 were isolated from 2-aminothiazole 23 using benzotriazole and freshly distilled ethyl glyoxylate in benzene, whereas by application of a-benzotria-zolyl-a-morpholino acetate with methyl iodide in THF, 63 was isolated in 40% yield. Subsequent treatment of 63 with potassium cyanide in ethanol at rt involves substitution of the benzotriazole moiety. Intramolecular cycli-zation of 64 yields 65, albeit in 10% yield. a-Ketoester 66 is also obtained (Scheme 3). 

Metyrosine Metyrosine, (-)a-methyltyrosine (12.3.11), is synthesized in a few different ways, the simplest of which is the synthesis from 4-methoxybenzylacetone, which is reacted with potassium cyanide in the presence of ammonium carbonate to give the hydan-toin (12.3.9). Treating this with hydrogen iodide removes the methyl-protecting group on the phenyl hydroxyl group and the product (12.3.10) is hydrolyzed by barium hydroxide into a racemic mixture of a-methyl-D,L-tyrosine, from which the desired L-isomer is isolated (12.3.11) [83-86]. 

In addition to the aforementioned total syntheses. Shannon et al. observed the formation of an N-C3-linked dimer during the transformation of a 3-bromocarbazole to a 3-cyanocarbazole by reaction with copper(I) cyanide in DMF under reflux (668). Harrity et al. reported the synthesis of non-natural (+ )-N,N -dimethylbismurrayafoline A via a chromium-mediated benzannulation, followed by a palladium-catalyzed oxidative coupling reaction (669). 

Formylfuran reacts with potassium cyanide in alcohol solution to give a product containing two furan nuclei. What is this product and how does it form Can you suggest an alternative synthesis of the compound from 2-formylfuran using propane-1,3-dithiol as one reagent Hint consider an acyl anion equivalent approach). 

In view of the multicomponent nature of the tandem [4 + 2] / [3 + 2] cycloaddition, the potential for a combinatorial approach to the synthesis of nitroso acetals has been investigated on solid-phase supports. The incorporation of either the dipolarophile or the starting nitroalkene on a Wang-type resin is compatible with the tandem cycloaddition promoted at high pressures (Schemes 2.28 and 2.29). The solid-supported nitroso acetals are subsequently liberated (in moderate yields from the staring nitroalkene) upon the addition of a catalytic amount of potassium cyanide in triethylamine and methanol or by reduction with lithium aluminum hydride (LAH) (261,264). 

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