Heterocyclic compounds reactions with hypochlorite

Heating o-nitrosophenols with hydroxylamine is reported to give furazans, naphtho[l,2-c]furazan (95) being formed from both l-nitroso-2-naphthol and 2-nitroso-l-naphthol, presumably by oximation of the tautomeric o-naphthoquinone monooximes and subsequent dehydration. Compound (95) has also been prepared by oxidation, using alkaline ferri-cyanide or hypochlorite, of l-amino-2-nitroso- and 2-amino-l-nitroso-naphthalene. This latter approach is suitable for heterocyclic fused furazans thus 4,6-diamino-5-nitrosopyrimidine is converted into the furazanopyrimidine (96) by oxidation with lead tetraacetate (71JOC3211). In a similar reaction alkaline hypochlorite oxidizes o-nitrosoacetaniiide to benzofurazan in quantitative yield. 

This route to the a-nitroso derivatives of the 7r-deficient heterocycles has permitted an exploration of their chemistry. They are extremely reactive and condense readily with 1,3-dienes to give 3,6-dihydro-l,2-oxazines (e.g. 99), and with aromatic amines in the presence of acid to give azo compounds (Scheme 86). This latter reaction is particularly useful in view of the instability of the corresponding 2-pyridinediazonium salts referred to above, which limits conventional access. The a-nitroso heterocycles are oxidized by ozone or sodium hypochlorite to the a-nitro compounds (Scheme 86) (82JOC553). 

The reaction of conanine (la) and of related compounds with a number of halogenating agents has been studied. With an excess of bromine in methylene chloride the major product was the lactam (5a), while the desmethyl lactam (5b) and the chlorinated imines (6a) and (6b) were also formed when sodium hypochlorite was used as the oxidant. Treatment of conanine with iodine and sodium bicarbonate in THF gave the ring-expanded heterocycle (7) as the major product a similar reaction had been observed previously during the oxidation of dihydroconessine. ... 

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