Ethers from aldehyde acetals

Acyclic acetals are simple protecting groups for aldehydes and ketones, and we have previously reported their synthesis catalyzed by Bi(OTf)3 [104]. Acyclic acetals can also be converted to other useful functional groups. For example, allylation of acyclic acetals to give homoallyl ethers has been well investigated, and we have reported a Bi(OTf)3-catalyzed method for the same [105]. The success of Bi(OTf)3-catalyzed formation and allylation of acyclic acetals prompted us to develop a one-pot method for the synthesis of homoallyl ethers from aldehydes, catalyzed by bismuth triflate. A one-pot process saves steps by eliminating the need for isolation of the intermediate and thus minimizes waste. Three one-pot procedures for the synthesis of homoallyl ethers were developed [106]. 

Notable examples of general synthetic procedures in Volume 47 include the synthesis of aromatic aldehydes (from dichloro-methyl methyl ether), aliphatic aldehydes (from alkyl halides and trimethylamine oxide and by oxidation of alcohols using dimethyl sulfoxide, dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, and pyridinum trifluoro-acetate the latter method is particularly useful since the conditions are so mild), carbethoxycycloalkanones (from sodium hydride, diethyl carbonate, and the cycloalkanone), m-dialkylbenzenes (from the />-isomer by isomerization with hydrogen fluoride and boron trifluoride), and the deamination of amines (by conversion to the nitrosoamide and thermolysis to the ester). Other general methods are represented by the synthesis of 1 J-difluoroolefins (from sodium chlorodifluoroacetate, triphenyl phosphine, and an aldehyde or ketone), the nitration of aromatic rings (with ni-tronium tetrafluoroborate), the reductive methylation of aromatic nitro compounds (with formaldehyde and hydrogen), the synthesis of dialkyl ketones (from carboxylic acids and iron powder), and the preparation of 1-substituted cyclopropanols (from the condensation of a 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol derivative and ethyl-... 

Silyl enol ethers and ketene acetals derived from ketones, aldehydes, esters and lactones are converted into the corresponding o/i-unsaturated derivatives on treatment with allyl carbonates in high yields in the catalytic presence of the palladium-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane complex (32). A phosphinc-free catalyst gives higher selectivity in certain cases, such as those involving ketene acetals. Nitrile solvents, such as acetonitrile, are essential for success. 

Alkyl esters are efficiently dealkylated to trimethylsilyl esters with high concentrations of iodotrimethylsilane either in chloroform or sulfolane solutions at 25-80° or without solvent at 100-110°.Hydrolysis of the trimethylsilyl esters serves to release the carboxylic acid. Amines may be recovered from O-methyl, O-ethyl, and O-benzyl carbamates after reaction with iodotrimethylsilane in chloroform or sulfolane at 50—60° and subsequent methanolysis. The conversion of dimethyl, diethyl, and ethylene acetals and ketals to the parent aldehydes and ketones under aprotic conditions has been accomplished with this reagent. The reactions of alcohols (or the corresponding trimethylsilyl ethers) and aldehydes with iodotrimethylsilane give alkyl iodides and a-iodosilyl ethers,respectively. lodomethyl methyl ether is obtained from cleavage of dimethoxymethane with iodotrimethylsilane. 

Halide ions will also act as nucleophiles towards aldehydes under acid catalysis, but the resultant, for example, 1,1-hydroxychloro compound (35) is highly unstable, the equilibrium lying over in favour of starting material. With HC1 in solution in an alcohol, ROH, the equilibrium is more favourable, and 1,1-alkoxychloro compounds may be prepared, e.g. 1-chloro-l-methoxymethane (36, a-chloromethyl ether ) from CH20 and MeOH (cf. acetal formation, p. 209), provided the reaction mixture is neutralised before isolation is attempted ... 

Acetals of aldehydes are usually stable to lithium aluminum hydride but are reduced to ethers with alane prepared in situ from lithium aluminum hydride and aluminum chloride in ether. Butyraldehyde diethyl acetal gave 47% yield of butyl ethyl ether, and benzaldehyde dimethyl acetal and diethyl acetal afforded benzyl methyl ether and benzyl ethyl ether in 88% and 73% yields, respectively [792]. 

Anzalone PW, Baru AR, Danielson EM, Hayes PD, Nguyen MP, Panico AF, Smith RC, Mohan RS (2005) Bismuth compounds in organic synthesis a one-pot synthesis of homoallyl ethers and homoallyl acetates from aldehydes catalyzed by bismuth triflate. J Org Chem 70 2091-2096... 

Carbonyl compounds react with glycols in anhydrous acid to form 1,3-cyclic ethers. These are called acetals if formed from aldehydes, and ketals if formed from ketones. 

Oxathiolanes (11) are formed from aldehydes and ketones by reaction with 2-mercaptoethanol (HS-CH2-CH2OH) in the presence of, for example, zinc chloride-sodium acetate in dioxane solution at room temperature,139 or boron trifluoride-etherate.140 They are more stable to an acidic medium than the 1,3-dithianes, and therefore may be the protective group of choice in certain instances. 

Aldehydes, ketones, and acetals react with allyltrimethylsilane in the presence of a catalytic amount of BiX3 (X = C1, Br, OTf) to give homoallyl alcohols or homoallyl alkyl ethers (Equation (52)).91-93 The BiX3-catalyzed allylation of aldehydes and sequential intramolecular etherification of the resulting homoallylic silyl ethers are involved in the stereoselective synthesis of polysubstituted tetrahydropyrans (Equation (53)).94,95 Similarly, these Lewis acids catalyze the cyanation of aldehydes and ketones with cyanotrimethylsilane. When a chiral bismuth(m) catalyst is used in the cyanation, cyanohydrines are obtained in up to 72% ee (Equation (54)). a-Aminonitriles are prepared directly from aldehydes, amines, and cyanotrimethysilane by the BiCl3-catalyzed Strecker-type reaction. 

A word about nomenclature. Once upon a time, chemists made a useful distinction between acetals (derived from aldehydes) and ketals (derived from ketones) which has since perished. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) decided (Rule C-331.1) that the term ketal is redundant and that the term acetal should now apply to all 1,1-to-ethers whether derived from aldehydes or ketones. Nevertheless, in A Guide to IUPAC Nomenclature of Organic Compounds, Recommendations 1993 (R. Panico, W.H. Powel, I-C Richter, Eds. Blackwell Science Oxford, 1993) the IUPAC graciously reinstated the term ketal , by popular demand, as a subclass of the generic term acetals (Rule R-5.6,4),... 

Other functional polyfluorinated compounds are available by addition of perhaloalkyl halides to enol derivatives, e.g. formation of 1 and 2 (see also Table 4). The adducts formed from enol acetates or enol ethers are not very stable and their hydrolysis to give a-perhaloalkyl aldehydes or ketones is often rapid. However, the enol derivatives can be transformed either to give ketals using alcohols or to give various products by oxidation and reduction reactions. The peculiar perfluoroalkyl iodide addition to enamines is spontaneous at room temperature, e.g. formation of 3. ... 

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