Ethers arene alkylation

Aryl-A3-iodanes bearing an electron-deficient alkyl ligand such as aryl(sul-fonylmethyl)-A3-iodanes (Section 3.2.7) and aryl(perfluoroalkyl)-A3-iodanes are relatively stable. A series of (perfluoroalkyl)phenyl-A3-iodanes 96 were synthesized in good yields by treating bis(trifluoroacetoxy)-A3-iodanes with benzene in the presence of triflic acid [47]. The AModanes 96 transfer the perfluoroalkyl groups to a variety of nucleophiles with reductive elimination of iodobenzene. The nucleophiles involve Grignard reagents, alkyllithiums, enolate anions, alkenes, alkynes, trimethylsilyl enol ethers, arenes, phenols, and thiols. In these reactions, the AModane 96 serves as a source of the perfluoroalkyl cation and, in... 

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. 

As discussed in Section 8.10, dediazoniation in methanol or ethanol yields mixtures of the corresponding aryl ethers and arenes, except with alcohols of very low nucleo-philicity such as trifluoroethanol, in which the aryl ether is the main product. Therefore aryl ethers are, in general, synthesized by alkylation of the respective phenol. Olah and Wu (1991) demonstrated, however, that phenylalkyl and aryl ethers can be obtained in 46-88% yield from benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate using alkoxy- and phenoxytrimethylsilanes in solution in Freon 113 (l,l,2-trichloro-l,2,2-tri-fluoroethane) at 55-60 °C with ultrasonic irradiation. As seen from the stoichiometric... 

Fagnou and co-workers reported on the use of a palladium source in the presence of different phosphine ligands for the intramolecular direct arylation reaction of arenes with bromides [56]. Later, they discovered that new conditions employing palladium complex 27 promoted the direct arylation of a broad range of aryl chlorides to form six- and five-membered ring biaryls including different functionalities as ether, amine, amide and alkyl (Scheme 7.11) [57]. 

Alternatively, the Sn2 nucleophilic substitution reaction between alcohols (phenols) and organic halides under basic conditions is the classical Williamson ether synthesis. Recently, it was found that water-soluble calix[n]arenes (n = 4, 6, 8) containing trimethylammonium groups on the upper rim (e.g., calix[4]arene 5.2) were inverse phase-transfer catalysts for alkylation of alcohols and phenols with alkyl halides in aqueous NaOH solution to give the corresponding alkylated products in good-to-high yields.56... 

Two types of complex are formed on reaction of benzene with Cu montmorillonite. In the Type 1 species the benzene retains Its aromaticity and is considered to be edge bonded to the Cu(II), whereas in the Type 2 complex there is an absence of aromaticity (85,86). ESR spectra of the Type 2 complex consist of a narrow peak close to the free spin g-value and this result can be explained in terras of electron donation from the organic molecule to the Cu(II), to produce a complex of Cu(I) and an organic radical cation. Similar types of reaction occur with other aromatic molecules. However with phenol and alkyl-substituted benzenes only Type 1 complexes were observed (87), although both types of complex were seen on the adsorption of arene molecules on to Cu(II) montmorillonites (88) and anisole and some related aromatic ethers on to Cu(II) hectorite... 

Different nucleophiles such as methanol, allylsilanes, silyl enol ethers, trimethylsilyl-cyanide, and arenes can be used in this process [62]. When the sulfide itself contains an unsaturated or aromatic fragment and the process is carried out in the absence of a nucleophile, an intramolecular anodic sub-stitution/cyclization might occur [61-63]. Methyl esters of 2-benzothiazolyl-2-alkyl or aryl-acetic acid, oxidized in MeOH/Et4 NCIO4 or H2SO4 in the presence of CUCI2, form 2,2-dimethoxy products (Eq. 7) [64]. 

Arene(alkoxy)carbene chromium complexes react with aryl-, alkyl-, terminal, or internal alkynes in ethers or acetonitrile to yield 4-alkoxy-1-naphthols, with the sterically more demanding substituent of the alkyne (Rl Figure 2.24) ortho to the hydroxy group. Acceptor-substituted alkynes can also be used in this reaction (Entry 4, Table 2.17) [331]. Donor-substituted alkynes can however lead to the formation of other products [191,192]. Also (diarylcarbene)pentacarbonyl chromium complexes can react with alkynes to yield phenols [332]. 

The concept of a diastereoselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of a-chiral benzyl alcohols was first examined by Bach and coworkers [62, 63]. The initial protocol required stoichiometric amounts of strong Brpnsted acids like HBF4 and was followed by a more valuable methodology in which catalytic amounts of AuC L were employed for the diastereoselective functionalization of chiral benzyl alcohols [64], Beside arenes, allyl silanes, 2,4-pentanediones and silyl enol ethers have been used as nucleophiles. Depending on the diastereodiscriminating group and on the catalyst (Brpnsted or Lewis acid), the authors observed either the syn or the anti diastereoisomer as the major product. 

Scheme 27 Diastereoselective alkylation of propargyl alcohols with silyl enol ethers, allyl silanes and electron-rich arenes...

Methyl benzoate, anisole, and diphenyl ether each give sandwich compounds with chromium vapor, although in rather low yield (32, 55, 110). Chromium appears to attack alkyl ethers and this deoxygenation probably competes with complexation with the aromatic oxygen compounds. No simple product has been isolated from chromium atoms and aniline, but bis(7V,7V-dimethylaniline)chromium has been prepared (32). The behavior of molybdenum and tungsten vapors closely resembles that of chromium in reactions with oxygen- and nitrogen-substituted arenes (113). 

Silicon vapor reacts with alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, arenes, ketones, alkyl halides, and ethers to give mainly polymers (104). 

PBBs and PBDEs may also cause toxicity by other mechanisms of action. For example, some PBB congeners can be metabolized to reactive arene oxides (Kohli and Safe 1976 Kohli et al. 1978) that may alkylate critical cellular macromolecules and result in injury. PBDEs may disrupt thyroid hormones by induction of hepatic microsomal UDPGT, which increases the rate of T4 conjugation and excretion, or by mimicking T4 or T3 PBDEs and their hydroxy metabolites are structurally similar to these thyroid hormones which are also hydroxy-halogenated diphenyl ethers (see Section 3.5.2). Clinical interventions designed to interfere with this mechanism or the metabolism of PBBs have yet to be developed. 

The methods that are known for introducing trifluoromethoxy groups into arenes are generally not effective. An interesting onc-pot O-alkylation of phenols followed by halogen exchange to form trifluoromethyl ethers 6 has been described227 (see also Houben-Weyl, Vol. E4, pp 626-627). 

Alkylation with Alkenes. Besides alkyl halides, alkenes,86,148-151 alkynes,152 alcohols and ethers,86,151,153 and esters86,151,154 are most frequently used for alkylation of arenes. Of all alkylating agents, alkenes are practically the most important. 

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