Nitriles to Esters

Keto esters. (3-Keto esters are obtained in good yield by slow addition of a-bromo esters to nitriles in the presence of activated zinc dust in refluxing THF (equation 1). An excess of the ester is necessary, because some undergoes self-condensation rather... 

H.E Gilbert and WP. Jencks, Mechanism of the Base-catalysed Cleavage of Imido Esters to Nitriles, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1979,101, 5774. 

In the presence of TMSOTf, Bi(0Tf)3 4H20 or Pd(Ph3P)4, the acetates of MBH adducts, such as methyl 3-acetoxy-3-aryl-2-methylenepropanoates and 3-acetoxy-3-aryl-2-methylenepropanitriles, have been smoothly converted into methyl (2 )-2-(acetoxymethyl)-3-arylprop-2-enoates and (2 )-2-(acetoxy-methyl)-3-arylprop-2-enenitriles, respectively (Scheme 3.42). A remarkable reversal in stereochemical direction from ester to nitrile was observed and is consistent with earlier results. 

In organic chemistry the term is used to describe the conversion of an ester to an acid and an alcohol (saponification), the addition of the elements of water to a molecule, e.g. the conversion of a nitrile to an amide... 

The addition of active methylene compounds (ethyl malonate, ethyl aoeto-acetate, ethyl plienylacetate, nltromethane, acrylonitrile, etc.) to the aP-double bond of a conjugated unsaturated ketone, ester or nitrile In the presence of a basic catalyst (sodium ethoxide, piperidine, diethylamiiie, etc.) is known as the Michael reaction or Michael addition. The reaction may be illustrated by the addition of ethyl malonate to ethyl fumarate in the presence of sodium ethoxide hydrolysis and decarboxylation of the addendum (ethyl propane-1 1 2 3-tetracarboxylate) yields trlcarballylic acid ... 

The conversion of chiral boronic esters iato optically pure B-aIkyl-9-BBN derivatives followed by reaction with a-bromoketones, a-bromoesters, or a-bromonitriles leads to the homologated P-chiral ketones, esters, and nitriles, respectively (526). 

Studies on the use of high molecular weight esters in nitrile mbber have led to further studies to compare DINP with DBP. These showed that at the 10 phr level the nitrile mbber was effectively plasticized with DINP (35). 

Tin metal also reacts directly with a number of activated organic haUdes, including aHyl bromide, benzyl chloride, chloromethyl methyl ether, and P-halocarboxyhc esters and nitriles giving fair-to-good yields of diorganotin dihaUdes (97,111—114). 

Pyridazinecarboxamides are prepared from the corresponding esters or acid chlorides with ammonia or amines or by partial hydrolysis of cyanopyridazines. Pyridazinecarboxamides with a variety of substituents are easily dehydrated to nitriles with phosphorus oxychloride and are converted into the corresponding acids by acid or alkaline hydrolysis. They undergo Hofmann degradation to give the corresponding amines, while in the case of two ortho carboxamide groups pyrimidopyridazines are formed. 

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]

Conjugate bases of relati-.- ly strong carbon acids like esters and nitriles react with oxiranes. The former give lactones (Scheme 56) (64HC(19-1)418) while the latter provide a route to cyclobutanes (Scheme 57) (74JA5270). 

The formation of ethyl cyano(pentafluorophenyl)acetate illustrates the intermolecular nucleophilic displacement of fluoride ion from an aromatic ring by a stabilized carbanion. The reaction proceeds readily as a result of the activation imparted by the electron-withdrawing fluorine atoms. The selective hydrolysis of a cyano ester to a nitrile has been described. (Pentafluorophenyl)acetonitrile has also been prepared by cyanide displacement on (pentafluorophenyl)methyl halides. However, this direct displacement is always aecompanied by an undesirable side reaetion to yield 15-20% of 2,3-bis(pentafluoro-phenyl)propionitrile. 

The reaLUons of phenyltetrafluorophosphorane with numerous silylated secondary or tertiary a- or (1-hydroxy esters, ketones, nitriles, ethers, nitro, and trichloromethyl derivatives have been investigated, the corresponding a or p fluoro derivatives are obtained in yields varying from reasonable to nearly quantitative [24, 25, 26, 27 The application of phenyltetrafluorophosphorane for fliiorination of silyloxy steroids has also been reported [28]... 

Simple isothiazole-4-carboxylic acids have been made from the corresponding nitriles, which are available in turn from the halogeno derivatives, or directly by the olefin route.5-Aminoiso-thiazole-4-esters and -nitriles are readily obtained by the thioamide route. The 4-acids behave normally and form acid chlorides, esters, amides, and hydrazides. In contrast to the 5-series... 

Comprehensive work in this field has been done by Slovak authors (98MI1, 95M1359, 96CCC269, 96CCC371, 97CCC99). They prepared 2-substituted (H, Me, Ph) 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-nitrobenzoxazoles, which were then reduced to amines (not isolated) and subjected to subsequent nucleophilic substitution with activated enol ethers such as alkoxymethylene derivatives of malonic acid esters and nitrile, 3-oxobutanoic acid esters, pentanedione, or cyanoacetic acid esters to yield aminoethylenes 8. 

The required nitro compounds are easy to prepare, and are useful building blocks for synthesis. Treatment with an appropriate base—e.g. aqueous alkali—leads to formation of nitronates 2. Various substituted nitro compounds, such as nitro-ketones, -alcohols, -esters and -nitriles are suitable starting materials. 

A thioamide of isonicotinic acid has also shown tuberculostatic activity in the clinic. The additional substitution on the pyridine ring precludes its preparation from simple starting materials. Reaction of ethyl methyl ketone with ethyl oxalate leads to the ester-diketone, 12 (shown as its enol). Condensation of this with cyanoacetamide gives the substituted pyridone, 13, which contains both the ethyl and carboxyl groups in the desired position. The nitrile group is then excised by means of decarboxylative hydrolysis. Treatment of the pyridone (14) with phosphorus oxychloride converts that compound (after exposure to ethanol to take the acid chloride to the ester) to the chloro-pyridine, 15. The halogen is then removed by catalytic reduction (16). The ester at the 4 position is converted to the desired functionality by successive conversion to the amide (17), dehydration to the nitrile (18), and finally addition of hydrogen sulfide. There is thus obtained ethionamide (19)... 

An alkylation reaction is used to introduce a methyl or primary alkyl group onto the a position of a ketone, ester, or nitrile by S 2 reaction of an enolate ion with an alkyl halide. Thus, we need to look at the target molecule and identify any methyl or primary alkyl groups attached to an a carbon. In the present instance, the target has an a methyl group, which might be introduced by alkylation of an ester enolate ion with iodomethane. 

Alpha hydrogen atoms of carbonyl compounds are weakly acidic and can be removed by strong bases, such as lithium diisopropylamide (LDA), to yield nucleophilic enolate ions. The most important reaction of enolate ions is their Sn2 alkylation with alkyl halides. The malonic ester synthesis converts an alkyl halide into a carboxylic acid with the addition of two carbon atoms. Similarly, the acetoacetic ester synthesis converts an alkyl halide into a methyl ketone. In addition, many carbonyl compounds, including ketones, esters, and nitriles, can be directly alkylated by treatment with LDA and an alkyl halide. 

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