Diaziridines preparation

Habisch " investigated the action of chloramine on simple Schiff s bases. In the aliphatic series, diaziridine formation was observed in all the cases investigated. Ethereal solutions of chloramine react with Schiff s bases at room temperature within a few hours [Eq. (32)]. Table VI gives details of a few of the 1-alkyl-diaziridines prepared. 

Diaziridines also show slow nitrogen inversion, and carbon-substituted compounds can be resolved into enantiomers, which typically racemize slowly at room temperature (when Af-substituted with alkyl and/or hydrogen). For example, l-methyl-3-benzyl-3-methyl-diaziridine in tetrachloroethylene showed a half-life at 70 °C of 431 min (69AG(E)212). Preparative resolution has been done both by classical methods, using chiral partners in salts (77DOK(232)108l), and by chromatography on triacetyl cellulose (Section 5.08.2.3.1). 

NMR investigations in the diaziridine field also led to the problem of inversion stability at nitrogen. Further investigations paralleled those of oxaziridines NMR investigation in solution (67CB1178) was followed by preparative separation of invertomers and finally preparation of optically active individuals. 

Aryldiaziridines (125), difficult to obtain by standard diaziridine syntheses, were prepared by arylation with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (72JOC2980). 

Phosphorylations of diaziridine nitrogen are also possible without ring opening. Compounds (132) (67JMC101) and (133) (80ZOB1502) were prepared using POCI3 and (R0)2P(0)C1 in presence of triethylamine. 

These reductions are not important for preparative purposes. The same can be said for reductions with LiAlH4, and with hydrogen over a catalyst, converting diaziridines to a mixture of amines including products of reductive amination of the former carbon atom of the diaziridine ring. 

Diazirines (3) smoothly add Grignard compounds to the N—N double bond, giving 1-alkyldiaziridines. Reported yields are between 60 and 95% without optimization (B-67MI50800). The reaction is easily carried out on a preparative scale without isolation of the hazardous diazirines and may serve as an easy access to alkylhydrazines. The reaction was also used routinely to detect diazirines in mixtures. The diaziridines formed are easily detected by their reaction with iodide. Phenyllithium or ethylzinc iodide also add to (3) with diaziridine formation. 

Most diazirines are easily obtained from diaziridines. Dialkyldiazirines are simply formed by dehydrogenation of 3,3-dialkyldiaziridines (60AG781). For example, the spirodiazirine (187) can be prepared in 65-75% yield from the diaziridine with silver oxide (6508(45)83). 

To prepare alkylhydrazlnes, cyclohexanone is treated with a primary amine and hydroxyl-amine-O-sulfonic acid in a one-pot procedure hydrolysis to the alkylhydrazine is carried out without isolation of the diaziridine (68JPR(37)257). Yields are between 60 and 70%. 

All these syntheses form variations of the same reaction. The three-membered ring is formed from an A-halogenoamine with ketone-ammonia mixtures or the Schiff s base 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline. Starting from these first observations the three groups of authors were able to generalize their diaziridine syntheses quickly in the years 1959-1962 they were extended to generally applicable reactions. In numerous variations of the syntheses, large numbers of diaziridincs were prepared. 

By the same method, diaziridines can be prepared from aldehydes. Here the reaction does not stop at the stage of the diaziridine unsubstituted at the N-atom (36) further condensation of two aldehyde... 

Diaziridines are weak bases, They can be extracted from organic solvents with aqueous mineral acids. With increasing number and chain length of alkyl substituents the solubility in aqueous mineral acids decreases. l-MethyI-2-n-butyl-3-hexyldiaziridine is soluble only in concentrated hydrochloric acid. Stable oxalates can in some cases be prepared from 1-aIkyI-diaziridines (43). The salts are stable indefinitely and by the action of alkali the diaziridines can be recovered. Diaziridines dialkylated on nitrogen (44) are hardly capable of salt... 

With aldehydes some diaziridines condense under the conditions of preparation. The formation of a fused triazolidine ring occurs regularly if aldehydes are treated with ammonia and chloramine to give diaziri-dines [Eq. (39)]. If, however, chloral is added previously to the reaction mixture, the 3-aIkyl-diaziridines (45) arc caught as their chloral adducts. By the alkali fission of these chloral adducts, 3-alkyl-diaziridines, e.g. (45), can be prepared. 

From l-cyclohexyl-3-ethyldiaziridine, crystalline derivatives have been prepared with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride and with 3,5-dinitro-benzoyl chloride, e.g., 46/ The quantitative liberation of iodine from acid iodide solution characterizes these compounds as true diaziridines. 

For the characterization of 1,3-dialkyl-diaziridines, derivatives can be prepared with phenyl isocyanate. The reaction products (47) are... 

The rate of iodine formation depends on the degree of A"-substitu-tion. Compounds which are unsubstituted on both the iV-atoms (35) and those wdth a single A -substituent (43) liberate instantly the calculated quantity of iodine in the cold. However, the 1,2-disubstituted diaziridines (44) need brief heating with the acid iodine solution they then give 95-100% of the calculated iodine. " This effect of substitution is so well defined that it can be used for a proof of constitution. The diaziridino-triazolidincs (37) prepared from aldehydes, ammonia, and chloramine give complete iodine liberation only on heating. Thus the structure 57 which is isomeric with 37 can be eliminated. ... 

Dialkyl-diaziridines are not attacked by lithium aluminum hydride l,2-di-n-butyl-3-n-propyldiaziridine (60) was recovered in 80% yield after treatment with lithium aluminum hydride in boiling ether. A preparative separation of 34 and 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline is possible by treating the mixture with lithium aluminum hydride when compound 34 is unattackcd. ... 

The hydrolysis of l-alkyl-2-acyldiaziridines to A -alkyl-A -acyl-hydrazines possesses preparative interest. For example, A -cyclohexyl-A" -toluenesulfonylhydrazine [Eq. (51), yield 67% ] and 1-cyclohexyl-4-phenylsemicarbazide [Eq, (52) yield 73%] can be prepared by hydrolysis of the substituted diaziridines 46 and 62. ... 

For the preparation of the parent substance, cyclic diazomethane (67), formaldehyde, chloramine, and ammonia were reacted. Diaziri-dine formation was successful in about 20% yield the diaziridine condensed with further formaldehyde to high molecular weight products the diaziridine detected by its oxidizing power was nonvolatile. Oxidation with dichromate in dilute sulfuric acid led to gaseous diazirine (67) [Eq. (56)]. It was only investigated in solution. 

Thus the diazirines could be related by a smooth reaction to a well investigated class of compounds. The three-membered ring structure of the diazirines was thus largely confirmed. They can be obtained from compounds which certainly have a three-membered ring structure [Eq. (54)] and are easily convertible into compounds which have equally well confirmed three-membered ring structures. The structure of the 1-alkyl-diaziridines (43) obtained by the Grignard reaction were confirmed by identification with known compounds, usually prepared by the reaction of Schiff s bases with chloramine [Eq. (32)]. The results of some of these reactions are collected in Table XII. 

The 1-alkyl-diaziridines can easily be hydrolyzed to alkyl hydrazines. Hence alkyl hydrazines are easily available from Grignard reagents and thus from alkyl halides. The three last examples of Table XII show the yield of alkyl hydrazine calculated on the diazirine used. The reaction has preparative interest because the alkylation of hydrazine with alkyl halides only gives monoalkyl hydrazines in exceptional cases. ... 

Yield of 1-alkjd-diaziridine, calculated on the diazirine which was not isolated. A ield of the alkyl hydrazine prepared by hydrolysis of the l-alkyl-diaziridine (calculated on diazirine). 

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