Esters Lewis acids

When hydrogenolysis is precluded by the presence of incompatible functionality (e.g. an a-chioro ester), Lewis acid-mediated cleavage can be used as in the example shown in Scheme 6,4s.113... 

Butadienoate esters undergo AICI3 and EtAlCh catalyzed stereospecific [2 + 2] cycloadditions with a wide variety of alkenes to give alkyl cyclobutylideneacetates in good yield. The stereospecificity and ratios of ( )- and (Z)-isomers suggest a [ 2 + v2a] cycloaddition of the ester-Lewis acid complex to the alkene analogous to the cycloaddition of ketenes with alkenes. Similar results are obtained with methyl 2,3-pentadienoate, methyl 4-methyl-2,3-pentadienoate and methyl 2-methyl-2,3-butadi-... 

Ethyl diazoacetate has been used extensively in the homologation of ketones to 3-keto esters. Lewis acid is required for the reaction (equation 23). ° There is a tendency for the least-substituted group to migrate, particularly if one group is fully substituted (equation 24). In a total synthesis of ( )-aplysin (20) this selective rearrangement was applied (Scheme 9), and a similar approach was used in a synthesis of (+)-hirsutic acid. Ethyl diazoacetate has also been used in the homologation of acyclic... 

Lewis acid promoted condensation of silyl ketene acetals (ester enolate equiv.) with aldehydes proceeds via "open" transition state to give anti aldols starting from either E- or Z- enolates. 

Perhaps the most extensively studied catalytic reaction in acpreous solutions is the metal-ion catalysed hydrolysis of carboxylate esters, phosphate esters , phosphate diesters, amides and nittiles". Inspired by hydrolytic metalloenzymes, a multitude of different metal-ion complexes have been prepared and analysed with respect to their hydrolytic activity. Unfortunately, the exact mechanism by which these complexes operate is not completely clarified. The most important role of the catalyst is coordination of a hydroxide ion that is acting as a nucleophile. The extent of activation of tire substrate througji coordination to the Lewis-acidic metal centre is still unclear and probably varies from one substrate to another. For monodentate substrates this interaction is not very efficient. Only a few quantitative studies have been published. Chan et al. reported an equilibrium constant for coordination of the amide carbonyl group of... 

A regioselective aldol condensation described by Biichi succeeds for sterical reasons (G. Biichi, 1968). If one treats the diaidehyde given below with acid, both possible enols are probably formed in a reversible reaaion. Only compound A, however, is found as a product, since in B the interaction between the enol and ester groups which are in the same plane hinders the cyclization. BOchi used acid catalysis instead of the usual base catalysis. This is often advisable, when sterical hindrance may be important. It works, because the addition of a proton or a Lewis acid to a carbonyl oxygen acidifies the neighbouring CH-bonds. 

Silyl enol ethers are other ketone or aldehyde enolate equivalents and react with allyl carbonate to give allyl ketones or aldehydes 13,300. The transme-tallation of the 7r-allylpalladium methoxide, formed from allyl alkyl carbonate, with the silyl enol ether 464 forms the palladium enolate 465, which undergoes reductive elimination to afford the allyl ketone or aldehyde 466. For this reaction, neither fluoride anion nor a Lewis acid is necessary for the activation of silyl enol ethers. The reaction also proceed.s with metallic Pd supported on silica by a special method[301j. The ketene silyl acetal 467 derived from esters or lactones also reacts with allyl carbonates, affording allylated esters or lactones by using dppe as a ligand[302]... 

Another category Ic indole synthesis involves cyclization of a-anilino aldehydes or ketones under the influence of protonic or Lewis acids. This corresponds to retro.synthetic path d in Scheme 4.1. Considerable work on such reactions was done in the early 1960s by Julia and co-workers. The most successful examples involved alkylation of anilines with y-haloacetoacetic esters or amides. For example, heating IV-substituted anilines with ethyl 4-bromoacetoacetate followed by cyclization w ith ZnClj gave indole-3-acetate esterfi]. Additional examples are given in Table 4.3. 

Lewis acids such as zinc triflate[16] and BF3[17] have been used to effect the reaction of indole with jV-proiected aziridine-2-carboxylate esters. These alkylations by aziridines constitute a potential method for the enantioselective introduction of tryptophan side-chains in a single step. (See Chapter 13 for other methods of synthesis of tryptophans.)... 

Under acidic conditions, furfuryl alcohol polymerizes to black polymers, which eventually become crosslinked and insoluble in the reaction medium. The reaction can be very violent and extreme care must be taken when furfuryl alcohol is mixed with any strong Lewis acid or Brn nstad acid. Copolymer resins are formed with phenoHc compounds, formaldehyde and/or other aldehydes. In dilute aqueous acid, the predominant reaction is a ring opening hydrolysis to form levulinic acid [123-76-2] (52). In acidic alcohoHc media, levulinic esters are formed. The mechanism for this unusual reaction in which the hydroxymethyl group of furfuryl alcohol is converted to the terminal methyl group of levulinic acid has recendy been elucidated (53). 

With Lewis acids as catalysts, compounds containing more than one alkoxy group on a carbon atom add across vinyl ether double bonds. Acetals give 3-alkoxyacetals since the products are also acetals, they can react further with excess vinyl ether to give oligomers (228—230). Orthoformic esters give diacetals of malonaldehyde (231). With Lewis acids and mercuric salts as catalysts, vinyl ethers add in similar fashion to give acetals of 3-butenal (232,233). 

The cyanoacryhc esters are prepared via the Knoevenagel condensation reaction (5), in which the corresponding alkyl cyanoacetate reacts with formaldehyde in the presence of a basic catalyst to form a low molecular weight polymer. The polymer slurry is acidified and the water is removed. Subsequendy, the polymer is cracked and redistilled at a high temperature onto a suitable stabilizer combination to prevent premature repolymerization. Strong protonic or Lewis acids are normally used in combination with small amounts of a free-radical stabilizer. 

As improvements over P-methylumbeUiferone (55—57), 4-methyl-7-amino-coumarin [26093-31-2] (12a) and 7-dimethylamino-4-methylcoumarin [87-014] (12b) (58—61) were proposed. These compounds are used for brightening wool and nylon either in soap powders or detergents, or as salts under acid dyeing conditions. They are obtained by the Pechmaim synthesis from appropriately substituted phenols and P-ketocarboxyflc acid esters or nitriles in the presence of Lewis acid catalysts (see Coumarin). 

Sulfur tetrafluoride [7783-60-0] SF, replaces halogen in haloalkanes, haloalkenes, and aryl chlorides, but is only effective (even at elevated temperatures) in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. The reagent is most often used in the replacement of carbonyl oxygen with fluorine (15,16). Aldehydes and ketones react readily, particularly if no alpha-hydrogen atoms are present (eg, benzal fluoride [455-31-2] from benzaldehyde), but acids, esters, acid chlorides, and anhydrides are very sluggish. However, these reactions can be catalyzed by Lewis acids (HP, BF, etc). 

Synthetic utility of stereoselective alkylations in natural product chemistry is exemplified by the preparation of optically active 2-arylglycine esters (38). Chirally specific a-amino acids with methoxyaryl groups attached to the a-carbon were prepared by reaction of the dimethyl ether of a chiral bis-lactam derivative with methoxy arenes. Using SnCl as the Lewis acid, enantioselectivities ranging from 65 to 95% were obtained. 

Another synthesis of the cortisol side chain from a C17-keto-steroid is shown in Figure 20. Treatment of a C3-protected steroid 3,3-ethanedyidimercapto-androst-4-ene-ll,17-dione [112743-82-5] (144) with a tnhaloacetate, 2inc, and a Lewis acid produces (145). Addition of a phenol and potassium carbonate to (145) in refluxing butanone yields the aryl vinyl ether (146). Concomitant reduction of the C20-ester and the Cll-ketone of (146) with lithium aluminum hydride forms (147). Deprotection of the C3-thioketal, followed by treatment of (148) with y /(7-chlotopetben2oic acid, produces epoxide (149). Hydrolysis of (149) under acidic conditions yields cortisol (29) (181). 

Esters derived from the primary alcohols are the most stable and those derived from the tertiary alcohols are the least stable. The decomposition temperature is lower in polar solvents, eg, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), with decomposition occurring at 20°C for esters derived from the tertiary alcohols (38). Esters of benzyl xanthic acid yield stilbenes on heating, and those from neopentyl alcohols thermally rearrange to the corresponding dithiol esters (39,40). The dialkyl xanthate esters catalytically rearrange to the dithiol esters with conventional Lewis acids or trifluoroacetic acid (41,42). The esters are also catalytically rearranged to the dithiolesters by pyridine Ai-oxide catalysts (43) ... 

The Eries rearrangement of phenol esters gives a mixture of 2- and 4-acylphenols (56). The reaction is cataly2ed by Lewis acids such as aluminum chloride or by Brmnsted acids like hydrogen fluoride. This reaction is used in the production of 4-hydroxyacetophenone [99-93-4] a raw material for... 

FRIES Phenol Esier Rearrangement Rearrangement ol phenol esters to o or p ketophenols Lewis acid catalyzed... 

Diels-Alder reactions in the presence of Lewis acids represent a case in which the Lewis acid is often used in catalytic quantities. The complexed ester (ethyl acrylate in the example given below) is substantially more reactive than the uncomplexed molecule, and the reaction proceeds through the complex. The reactive complex is regenerated by exchange of the Lewis acid from the adduct. 

Recently, in extending the reaction to aliphatic glycols, Ghera observed that p-nitrobenzoate esters gave better results than acetates, and that zinc acetate could be substituted for activated zinc. He has proposed that the rearrangement is a heterogeneous catalytic process, with the zinc acting as a Lewis acid ... 

Ketene acetals prepared from fluorinated esters by trimethylsilylation undergo Lewis acid-promoted aldol condensations giving satisfactory yields but low diastereoselectivity [27] (equation 22). 

Stability toward reduction makes hydrogen fluoride a good medium for different hydrogenation processes [1, 2] It is a useful solvent for the hydrogenation of benzene in the presence of Lewis acids [f ] Anhydrous hydrofluonc acid has pronounced catalytic effect on the hydrogenations of various aromatic compounds, aliphatic ketones, acids, esters, and anhydrides in the presence of platinum dioxide [2] (equations 1-3)... 

The complementary ABO ester (2,7,8-trioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octyl ester) is prepared from the epoxy ester by rearrangement with Cp2ZrCl2/AgC104. The OBO ester is more easily cleaved by Brpnsted acids than is the ABO ester, but the ABO ester is cleaved more easily by Lewis acids, thus forming an orthogonal set. The ABO ester can be cleaved with PPTS (MeOH, H2O, 22°, 2 h LiOH) the OBO ester is cleaved at 0° in 2 min. ... 

The chlorination of phosphonic and phosphinic acids and esters are of considerable importance. PCI5 can also act as a Lewis acid to give 6-coordinate P complexes, e.g. pyPClf, and pyz-PCI5, where py = C5H5N (pyridine) and pyz = cyclo-1, 4-C4H4N2 (pyrazine). ... 

---