1.3- Cyclopentadiene acidity

Irradiation of an aqueous solution at 296 nm and pH values from 8 to 13 yielded different products. Photolysis at a pH nearly equal to the dissociation constant (undissociated form) yielded pyrocatechol. At an elevated pH, 2-chlorophenol is almost completely ionized photolysis yielded cyclopentadienic acid (Boule et al., 1982). Irradiation of an aqueous solution at 296 nm containing hydrogen peroxide converted 2-chlorophenol to catechol and 2-chlorohydroquinone (Moza et al, 1988). In the dark, nitric oxide (10 vol %) reacted with 2-chlorophenol forming 4-nitro-2-chlorophenol and 6-nitro-2-chlorophenol at yields of 36 and 30%, respectively (Kanno and Nojima, 1979). 

Earlier studies [11,12] have shown that photo excitation of aqueous 2-chloro-phenol or 2-bromophenol leads to contraction of the aromatic cycle to give cyclopentadienic acids (an example of a Wolff rearrangement [13]), and to substitution of the halogen by OH (photohydrolysis), with moderate quantum yields (< = 0.01-0.04). A carbene (2-oxocyclohexa-3,5-dienylidene) was suggested as a possible intermediate in the ring contraction pathway [11]. 

Guyon, C., Boule, P., Lemaire, J., Photochemistry and the Environment. 3. Formation of Cyclopentadienic Acid by Irradiation of 2 Chlorophenol in Basic Aqueous Solution,... 

When a methanolic solution of 2-chlorophenol was irrauliated in the presence of sodium methylate, the esters of the cyclopentadienic acids were obtained. The uv spectnmi observed agrees with the spectrum obtained by Peters (32) for l-carbomethoxy-l,3-cyclopentadiene. 

VHien the molecular form of 2-chlorophenol is excited at 296 nm or 253.7 nm in aerated or degassed solution, the quantum of conversion is 0.03 0.01. No influence of pH is noticed between pH- 1 euid pH-5.5. HPLC 2uialysis indicated that two different products are formed - catechol and cyclopentadienic acids - with similar efficiencies (37). ... 

The generic term azulene was first applied to the blue oils obtained by distillation, oxidation, or acid-treatment of many essential oils. These blue colours are usually due to the presence of either guaiazulene or velivazulene. The parent hydrocarbon is synthesized by dehydrogenation of a cyclopentanocycloheptanol or the condensation of cyclopentadiene with glutacondialdehyde anil. 

In Chapter 2 the Diels-Alder reaction between substituted 3-phenyl-l-(2-pyridyl)-2-propene-l-ones (3.8a-g) and cyclopentadiene (3.9) was described. It was demonstrated that Lewis-acid catalysis of this reaction can lead to impressive accelerations, particularly in aqueous media. In this chapter the effects of ligands attached to the catalyst are described. Ligand effects on the kinetics of the Diels-Alder reaction can be separated into influences on the equilibrium constant for binding of the dienoplule to the catalyst (K ) as well as influences on the rate constant for reaction of the complex with cyclopentadiene (kc-ad (Scheme 3.5). Also the influence of ligands on the endo-exo selectivity are examined. Finally, and perhaps most interestingly, studies aimed at enantioselective catalysis are presented, resulting in the first example of enantioselective Lewis-acid catalysis of an organic transformation in water. 

On the basis of the studies described in the preceding chapters, we anticipated that chelation is a requirement for efficient Lewis-acid catalysis. This notion was confirmed by an investigation of the coordination behaviour of dienophiles 4.11 and 4.12 (Scheme 4.4). In contrast to 4.10, these compounds failed to reveal a significant shift in the UV absorption band maxima in the presence of concentrations up to one molar of copper(ir)nitrate in water. Also the rate of the reaction of these dienophiles with cyclopentadiene was not significantly increased upon addition of copper(II)nitrate or y tterbium(III)triflate. 

We chose benzyli dene acetone (4.39, Scheme 4.11) as a model dienophile for our studies. The uncatalysed Diels-Alder reaction of this compound with cyclopentadiene is slow, justifying a catalytic approach. Reaction of 4.39 with paraformaldehyde and dimethyl amine under acidic conditions in an aqueous ethanol solution, following a literature procedure, produced the HCl salt of 4.42 (Scheme 4.11). The dienophile was liberated in situ by adding one equivalent of base. 

As anticipated from the complexation experiments, reaction of 4.42 with cyclopentadiene in the presence of copper(II)nitrate or ytterbium triflate was extremely slow and comparable to the rate of the reaction in the absence of Lewis-acid catalyst. Apparently, Lewis-acid catalysis of Diels-Alder reactions of p-amino ketone dienophiles is not practicable. 

In summary, the work in this thesis provides an overview of what can be achieved with Lewis-acid and micellar catalysis for Diels-Alder reactions in water as exemplified by the reaction of3-phenyl-l-(2-pyridyl)-2-propene-l-ones with cyclopentadiene. Extension of the observed beneficial effect of water on rates and particularly enantioselectivities to other systems is envisaged. 

The acidity of cyclopentadiene provides convincing evidence for the special sta bility of cyclopentadienyl anion... 

There is a striking difference in the acidity of cyclopentadiene compared with cycloheptatriene Cycloheptatriene has a pK of 36 which makes it 10 times weaker m acid strength than cyclopentadiene... 

A standard method for prepanng sodium cyclopentadienide (CsHsNa) is by the reaction of cyclopentadiene with a solution of NaNH2 in liquid ammonia Write a net ionic equation for this reaction identify the acid and the base and use curved arrows to track the flow of electrons... 

The same anion is formed by loss of the most acidic proton from 1 methyl 1 3 cyclo pentadiene as from 5 methyl 1 3 cyclopentadiene Explain... 

Preparation. The industrial production of malonic acid is much less important than that of the malonates. Malonic acid is usually produced by acid saponification of malonates (9). Further methods which have been recendy investigated are the ozonolysis of cyclopentadiene [542-92-7] (10), the air oxidation of 1,3-propanediol [504-63-2] (11), or the use of microorganisms for converting nitriles into acids (12). 

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