Diphenylethane, cyclization with

Some papers have appeared that deal with the use of electrodes whose surfaces are modified with materials suitable for the catalytic reduction of halogenated organic compounds. Kerr and coworkers [408] employed a platinum electrode coated with poly-/7-nitrostyrene for the catalytic reduction of l,2-dibromo-l,2-diphenylethane. Catalytic reduction of 1,2-dibromo-l,2-diphenylethane, 1,2-dibromophenylethane, and 1,2-dibromopropane has been achieved with an electrode coated with covalently immobilized cobalt(II) or copper(II) tetraphenylporphyrin [409]. Carbon electrodes modified with /nc50-tetra(/7-aminophenyl)porphyrinatoiron(III) can be used for the catalytic reduction of benzyl bromide, triphenylmethyl bromide, and hexachloroethane when the surface-bound porphyrin is in the Fe(T) state [410]. Metal phthalocyanine-containing films on pyrolytic graphite have been utilized for the catalytic reduction of P anj -1,2-dibromocyclohexane and trichloroacetic acid [411], and copper and nickel phthalocyanines adsorbed onto carbon promote the catalytic reduction of 1,2-dibromobutane, n-<7/ 5-l,2-dibromocyclohexane, and trichloroacetic acid in bicontinuous microemulsions [412]. When carbon electrodes coated with anodically polymerized films of nickel(Il) salen are cathodically polarized to generate nickel(I) sites, it is possible to carry out the catalytic reduction of iodoethane and 2-iodopropane [29] and the reductive intramolecular cyclizations of 1,3-dibromopropane and of 1,4-dibromo- and 1,4-diiodobutane [413]. A volume edited by Murray [414] contains a valuable set of review chapters by experts in the field of chemically modified electrodes. 

A noteworthy difference is observed in the condensation of thiosemicarbazide with aromatic a-halocarbonyl compounds in comparison to aliphatic a-halocarbonyl compounds. It has been found26 that the reaction of phenacyl bromide with thiosemicarbazide furnishes 5-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazin-2-amine together with a small amount of 5-phenylthiazolc-2-hydrazine, Similarly, the reactions of thiosemicarbazide with 2-bromo-l,2-diphenylethan-l-one,7 8,41 2-bro-mo-l-phenylpropan-l-one,10,41 and 2-bromo-l-phenylbutan-l-one 10,41 in ethanolic solution give 1,3,4-thiadizines. However, the main products are the thiazole-2-hydrazine derivatives (cf. Houben-Weyl, Vol. E8b, p 72ff). The addition of an equimolar amount of 48% hydro-bromic acid results in the exclusive formation of the 1,3,4-thiadiazines 2 a, c, and d. When the condensations of thiosemicarbazide with 2-bromo-l,2-diphenylethan-l-one, 2-bromo-1-phenylpropan-l-one or 2-bromo-l-phenylbutan-l-one are performed in ethanol at room temperature, the S-(oxoalkyl)-isothiosemicarbazide hydrobromides are formed as open-chain intermediates and also undergo cyclization in ethanol upon addition of an equimolar amount of 48% hydrobromic acid to furnish 2 a, c, and d. 

Cyclization of 1,2-dipkenylethanes, French chemists have reported a useful synthesis of tricyclic ketones bearing an angular methyl group by reaction of some 1,2-diphenylethanes with this super acid. The primary products isomerize on long contact with the acid, as shown in the second example. 

Diphenylethane 22 is more reactive towards chlorosulfonic acid than diphenyl-methane 18, probably as a result of increased hyperconjugative electron release from the ethylene bridge bond. When diphenylethane 22 was heated with a large excess of chlorosulfonic acid (20 equivalents) at 100 °C (4 hours), the cyclized product 24 was isolated in excellent (90%) yield (Equation 8). The cyclization to the seven-membered ring sulfone 24 was more easily achieved than the analogous conversion of diphenylmethane 18 to the six-membered ring sulfone 21... 

Fragmentation of the nitrilium ion interferes with the cyclization - of 1,2-diphenylethane derivatives, leading to formation of stilbenes rather than cyclization products. This problem has been overcome by using Oxalyl Chloride instead of (1). Fragmentation (von Braun reaction or retro-Ritter reaction) occurs... 

---