Nitrile cyclization

These compounds and their derivatives can be manufactured using relatively simple equipment compared to that required for the fatty nitrile derivatives. Cyclization of amidoamines to imidazolines requires higher reaction temperatures and reduced pressures. Prices of imidazolines are therefore high. 

Reactions. The reactions of dicyandiamide resemble those of cyanamide. However, cycUzations take place easily and the nitrile group is less reactive. Under pressure and ia the presence of ammonia, dicyandiamide cyclizes to melamine. Considerable toimages of melamine have been made ia this manner however, melamine is produced chiefly by the urea process (43). 

The other main reaction in this class is the Dieckmann-type cyclization of the intermediates (163) from 4(6)-halo-5-ethoxycarbonylpyrimidines with AC-substituted /3-alanine esters and nitriles, and related compounds, to give 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5-oxopyrido[2,3-[Pg.221]

The use of guanidine for cyclization gives amino substituted derivatives (e.g. 212) (52CB1012), and in this case o-aminonitriles may be used to furnish diamines (e.g. 8UOC1394). An unusual reaction involving nitriles occurred during the preparation of nicotinonitrile from the amide and ammonium sulfamate, when a 60% yield of the dimeric by-product (213) was formed via the nitrile (69BSB289). Similar products have been obtained from... 

The only reaction of this type noted involved the reaction of pteridines, e.g. (415), with malonodinitrile (or cyanoacetamide), via ring opening to (416), with final [6 + 0 ( )] cyclization to give the 6-amino-7-nitrile (amide) (417) (73JCS(P1)1615, 73JCS(P1)1974). 

Cyclization reactions effected by intramolecular attack of the heteroatom on a nitrile group provide a useful source of 2-amino heterocycles. Some illustrative examples are depicted in Scheme 16. 

The reaction of a ,)3-alkynic nitriles (317) with hydroxylamine gave the 5-aminoisoxazoles (318) regiospecifically, whereas in the presence of sodium hydroxide the 3-aminoisoxazoles (319) were obtained exclusively (66CPB1277). Similarly, the course of the cyclization of arylhydrazones (320) was influenced by a change in the base employed (75JOC2604). 

Only one example of this type has been reported. Cyclization of a-(acylmethoxy-imino)nitriles in the presence of lithium hydroxide provides a convenient synthesis... 

This class was first reported in 1924 and was formed 62HC(17)l) by cyclization of a-bromo-/3-aryl-y-nitroketones. The direct synthesis by oxygenation of 2-isoxazolines has not been reported. To date only 3-substituted derivatives have been prepared. Aryl-nitromethanes react with nitrostilbene to form isoxazoline A-oxide by a nitrile ion displacement (Scheme 138) <62HC(17)1, 68TL3375). 

The protonated azirine system has also been utilized for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds (67JA44S6). Thus, treatment of (199) with anhydrous perchloric acid and acetone or acetonitrile gave the oxazolinium perchlorate (207) and the imidazolinium perchlorate (209), respectively. The mechanism of these reactions involves 1,3-bond cleavage of the protonated azirine and reaction with the carbonyl group (or nitrile) to produce a resonance-stabilized carbonium-oxonium ion (or carbonium-nitrilium ion), followed by attack of the nitrogen unshared pair jf electrons to complete the cyclization. 

The as-spun acrylic fibers must be thermally stabilized in order to preserve the molecular structure generated as the fibers are drawn. This is typically performed in air at temperatures between 200 and 400°C [8]. Control of the heating rate is essential, since the stabilization reactions are highly exothermic. Therefore, the time required to adequately stabilize PAN fibers can be several hours, but will depend on the size of the fibers, as well as on the composition of the oxidizing atmosphere. Their are numerous reactions that occur during this stabilization process, including oxidation, nitrile cyclization, and saturated carbon bond dehydration [7]. A summary of several fimctional groups which appear in stabilized PAN fiber can be seen in Fig. 3. 

Finally, Vogtle and his coworkers have prepared a number of cascade molecules which are structurally related to the aforementioned systems. These are repeating ring units of increasingly large cavity size and are prepared by repetitive synthetic procedures. Typically, an amine is cyanoethylated, the nitrile reduced to an amine which may then be further cyanoethylated and reduced or cyclized with a diacid halide. The rather elaborate scheme is illustrated in ref. 61 and examples of the structural type are shown in Table 8.4. 

Recently, Burger devised an improved method of carrying out mild, regiospecific cyclizations that involve an intermediate that acts as a synthon for a nitrile ylide of HCN [47 (equation 48). With this methodology, cycloadditions with activated alkenes, alkynes, and azo compounds were earned out [47] (equation 49). All such reported reactions were regiospecific and had the same orientational preference... 

Stereochemical positioning of a functional group, relative to a separate enamine moiety in the same molecule, can be done in such a manner that a simple intramolecular alkylation or acylation will cause cyclization. Such intramolecular cycloalkylations with alkyl halides have been reported 107,108). Inftamolecular cycloacylations of enamines with esters 109, 110,110a) and with nitriles 110a,l 11,111a) have also been observed. 

Aniline 77 was converted into its diazonium salt with nitrous acid and this was followed by reduction with stannous chloride to afford the corresponding arylhydrazine 78. Condensation of 78 with 3-cyanopropanal dimethylacetal 79 gave the arylhydrazone 80. Treatment of 80 with PPE resulted in cyclization to indole 81. The nitrile group was then reduced to the primary amine by catalytic hydrogenation. Reaction of the amine with excess formalin and sodium borohydride resulted in Imitrex (82). 

The cyclization with a,p-unsaturated nitriles has proven effective for the synthesis of 3-aminothiophene 14, a key intermediate for the synthesis of p38 kinase inhibitors."... 

Nearly every substitution of the aromatic ring has been tolerated for the cyclization step using thermal conditions, while acid-promoted conditions limited the functionality utilized. Substituents included halogens, esters, nitriles, nitro, thio-ethers, tertiary amines, alkyl, ethers, acetates, ketals, and amides. Primary and secondary amines are not well tolerated and poor yield resulted in the cyclization containing a free phenol. The Gould-Jacobs reaction has been applied to heterocycles attached and fused to the aniline. 

This reaction is believed to proceed via an amidine (34) and it has been shown that the reactivity of the nitrile group toward nucleophiles is a more important factor than amine basicity in controlling cyclization. 

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