Halogenation activated alcohol displacements

In accordance with the observed behavior of nitro-activated aromatic compounds, in all cases tested the displacement of halogens from A -heteroaromatic carbon by such reagents as sodium meth-oxide and sodium ethoxide in their respective alcohols [Eq. (2),... 

A few studies on solvolyses by alcohols and by water are available. The hydrolyses studied include displacement of alkylamino groups from acridine antimalarials and of halogen from other systems. In all cases, these reactions appeared to be first-order in the heterocyclic substrate. By a detailed examination of the acid hydrolysis of 2-halogeno-5-nitropyridine, Reinheimer et al. have shown that the reaction rate varies as the fourth power of the activity of water, providing direct evidence that the only reactive nucleophile is neutral water, as expected. 

The inferior activation in the 3- or 6eto-position is illustrated by the very large difference in reactivity in the following aminations and alkoxylations. In the reaction of 2-chloro-5-iodopyridine or 2,3-dibromopyridine (cf. 295) with boiling methanolic methoxide, only the 2-halogen is displaced as is also the case in the amination of 2-chloro-3,5-diiodopyridine and of 2,3,6-tribromopyridine. 4-Amination of 3,4-dibromo-, 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-, and 3-bromo-4-chloro-pyridine occurred. Only 2-amination (aqueous NH3, 190°, 36 hr) occurred with 2,3-dichloropyridine (295) and only 4-ethoxyla-tion (alcoholic ethoxide, 160°, 4 hr) with 3,4-dichloropyridine. ... 

Reaction of pyroc techol with epichlorohydrin in the presence of base affords the benzodioxan derivative, 136, (The reaction may well involve initial displacement of halogen by phenoxide followed by opening of the oxirane by the anion from the second phenolic group.) Treatment of the alcohol with thio-nyl chloride gives the corresponding chloro compound (137). Displacement of halogen by means of diethylamine affords piper-oxan (138), a compound with a-sympathetic blocking activity. 

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