Formic acid anhydride synthesis

Aldehyde Synthesis. Formylation would be expected to take place when formyl chloride or formic anhydride reacts with an aromatic compound ia the presence of aluminum chloride or other Friedel-Crafts catalysts. However, the acid chloride and anhydride of formic acid are both too unstable to be of preparative iaterest. 

Carbon monoxide, CO, is produced when carbon or organic compounds burn in a limited supply of air, as happens in cigarettes and badly tuned automobile engines. It is produced commercially as synthesis gas by the re-forming reaction (Section 14.3). Carbon monoxide is the formal anhydride of formic acid, HCOOH, and the gas can be produced in the laboratory by the dehydration of formic acid with hot, concentrated sulfuric acid ... 

Trying to prepare precursors for the synthesis of 3-substituted [l,2,4]triazolo[5,l- ]benzothiazoles, 2-hydrazino-4-methylbenzothiazole 393 was submitted to reaction with formic acid, urea, carbon disulfide, and acetic anhydride to give compounds 230, 238, 89, and 394 (Scheme 45) <1998IJC(B)921>. 

The preparation of several glucofuran [2, l-t/] oxazolines 35 and 36 from reaction of 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose 34 with HF has been described. Compounds 35a and 35b are formed when the reaction is carried out in formic acid, whereas the orthoesters 36a-c are formed when the reaction is carried out using anhydrides. Further reaction of 35 and 36 with methanol gives methyl glycosides. Thus, 35 and 36 may hnd use as potential glycosyl donors for the synthesis of 2-amino-2-deoxy sugars (Scheme 8.14). " ... 

The only formic acid derivative that allows the direct formylation of aromatics is formyl fluoride1617 since others (halides and the anhydride) that could be used in Friedel-Crafts-type acylations are quite unstable. Other related methods, however, are available to transform aromatic hydrocarbons to the corresponding aldehydes. The most frequently used such formylations are the Gattermann-Koch reaction16 17 and the Gattermann synthesis.10 16 17... 

A similar rapid microwave one-pot synthesis of substituted quinazolin-4-ones was also reported, which involved cyclocondensation af anthranilic acid, formic acid (or an orthoester) and an amine under solvent-free conditions (Scheme 3.37)61. A complimentary approach was adopted to synthesise 4-aminoquinazolines in very good yields, involving the reaction of aromatic nitrile compounds with 2-aminobenzonitrile in the presence of a catalytic amount ofbase (Scheme 3.38)62. The reactions were performed in a domestic microwave oven and required only a very short heating time. A microwave-assisted synthesis of a variety of new 3-substituted-2-alkyl-4-(3H)-quinazolinones using isatoic anhydride, 2-aminobenzimidazole and orthoesters has also been described (Scheme 3.38)63. 

In addition, minor variation of the catalyst in combination with immobilization on a resin support gave an analogous recyclable solid-supported organocatalyst. Varying the derivatization method by trapping the a-amino nitrile intermediate with formic acid and acetic anhydride gives the crystalline formamides 19 in excellent yield and with high enantioselectivity. These features of this catalytic process have been demonstrated by results from the synthesis of r-tert-leucine (Scheme 14.8) [49]. 

Alkyl-substituted oxazoles have been found to react with maleic acid or its anhydride in a diene synthesis to yield substituted pyridine readily converted to pyridoxine (39). In this route, ethyl d, 1-alaninate hydrochloride is treated with formic-acetic anhydride to yield ethyl N-formyl d,1-alaninate (78%). This compound is refluxed in chloroform with phosphorous pentoxide (40), quenched with aqueous potassium hydroxide, and the organic layer distilled to give 4-methyl-5-ethoxyoxazole (I) (60%). The resulting oxazole (I) is condensed readily with a number of appropriate dienophiles to form 2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4,5-disubstituted-pyridines containing substituents (III, a, b, c) which could be converted to pyridoxine as follows ... 

This synthesis involves Michael cycloaddition reaction of the readily available 4-hydroxycoumarine 1 with a cyanocrotonitrile 2 in ethanolic piperidine to afforded 2-amino-3-cyano-4-methyl-4H, 5H-pyrano-benzopyran-5-one (3). Treatment of 3 with acetic anhydride for 0.5 h and/or 3 h under reflux afforded N-acetyl and [l]benzopyrano[3/,4/ 5,6]pyrano(2,3-d) pyrimidine-6,8-dione derivatives (4) and (5a), respectively. Also, interaction of 3 with benzoyl chloride or formic acid gave the corresponding pyrimidine derivatives (5b,c) while its treatment with formamide afforded the aminopyrimi-dine derivative (6). 

As mentioned above, the bis-amides 9a are used as precursors in the synthesis of Af-acylenamines. The conditions used for this reaction depend on the purpose of the synthesis and are described in numerous works, and reviewed in a series of articles35-37. The acid catalyst is usually concentrated sulfuric acid, but a successful application of 85% phosphoric, chlorosulfonic, methanesulfonic and formic acids was reported, and reactions were also conducted in the presence of anhydrous hydrogen chloride35. The solvents used are usually glacial acetic acid and chlorinated hydrocarbons. It is believed that the water necessary for the formation of the bis-amides under anhydrous conditions is obtained from conversion of the carboxylic acid to the anhydride, or even the sulfuric acid35. 

Acetic formic anhydride has been prepared by the reaction of formic acid with acetic anhydride2 3 and ketene,4,5 and of acetyl chloride with sodium formate.6 The present procedure is essentially that of Muramatsu.6 It is simpler than others previously described and gives better yields. It is easily adapted to the preparation of large quantities, usually with an increase in yield. Acetic formic anhydride is a useful intermediate for the formyl-ation of amines,3,7 amino acids,8,9 and alcohols,2,10 for the synthesis of aldehydes from Grignard reagents,11 and for the preparation of formyl fluoride.12... 

The reagents used for the completion of the purine heterocycle are essentially the same as those used for the Traubc synthesis. The purine ring is formed by condensation with derivatives of formic acid or other carboxylic acids. Alternatively, formylation of the amino group is accomplished by a mixture of formic acid and acetic anhydride followed by cyclization. Alkyl esters or trialkyl ortho esters are also versatile synthons for ring closure. Moreover, heating in formamide or cyclization with urea or thiourea provides a satisfactory route. Condensations with isothiocyanates show unusual versatility leading to 2-sulfanylpurin-6-ols. From carbonic acid derivatives, cyclization is reported with chlorocarbonic esters, diethyl carbonate or carbon disulfide. 

Blocking group in peptide synthesis. The conversion of an amino acid into its N-formyl derivative does not require preformed acetic-formic anhydride. Sheehan and Yang5 added 83 ml. of acetic anhydride dropwise to a mixture of 0.10 mole of the amino acid in 250 ml. of 88% formic acid at a rate to maintain a temperature of 50-60°. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 hr. and 80 ml. of ice water was added. The mixture was concentrated at reduced pressure and the crystalline residue could be crystallized easily from water or aqueous ethanol. 

The most useful synthesis of aromatic derivatives of this ring system involves condensation of aminomethylpyrazines 67 with anhydrides or carboxylic acids. Thus the amine 67 (R = H) was made to react with formic acid or acetic anhydride to give amides which were cyclized to the 3-substituted compounds 68. Clearly this synthesis could be extended to give a wide variety of substituted imidazo[l,5-a]pyrazines. Recently several more 3-substituted imidazo[l,5-a]pyrazines have been prepared from the amine 67 (R =... 

Routes via o-aminophenylpyrroles present the most convenient syntheses of a wide variety of pyrrolo[l,2-a]quinoxalines. Thus reaction of the amino compound 6 with acetic anhydride in acetic acid gave the acetamido derivative which was cyclized with phosphoryl chloride to give the 4-methyl compound 7 (R = Me) in 56% yield. The 4-phenyl compound 7 (R = Ph) has been prepared similarly. An even more convenient synthesis of 4-aryl compounds is achieved by reaction of compound 6 with aromatic aldehydes to give the 4,5-dihydro derivatives These are readily oxidized to 4-arylpyrrolo[l,2-a]quinoxalines 9 with manganese dioxide. This approach may be carried out in one step by reaction of compound 6 with aromatic aldehydes (e.g., benzaldehyde) in the presence of cupric acetate. Reaction of the aminophenylpyrrole 6 with 90% formic acid gave pyrrolo[l,2-a]quinoxaline (7, R = H) directly in 98% yield. Pyrrolo[l,2-a]quinoxalines substituted in the l-position and the 7-position have also been prepared from appropriately substituted... 

Commercial petrochemical processes using syngas or carbon monoxide are based on four principal classes of reactions phosgenation, Reppe chemistry, hydroformylations, and Koch carbonylations. Phosgenation is a key step in the manufacture of polyurethanes, polycarbonates, and monoisocyanates. Reppe chemistry is the basis for acetic acid and acetic anhydride production as well as formic acid and methyl methacrylate synthesis. Hydroformylations utilize syngas in the oxo synthesis to make a wide variety of aldehydes and long-chain alcohols. The fourth class of reactions are Koch carbonylations. Koch carbonylations are used commercially to produce neo acids which are specialty products that serve markets similar to 0X0 alcohols. 

Problem 16.47. Amides can also be synthesized by using the acid chloride or acid anhydride instead of the carboxylic acid. Give equations for the synthesis of formamide from formyl chloride and formic anhydride. 

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