Hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide

Tetrasubstituted phosphonium halides are just as effective as their ammonium counterparts. A combination of tetraphenylphosphonium bromide and either 18-crown-6 or polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether with spray-dried potassium fluoride converts 4-chlorobenzaldehyde to 4-fluorobenzaldehyde in 74% yield [67] In addition, the halogen of a primary alkyl chloride or bromide is easily displaced by fluorine in aqueous saturated potassium fluoride and a catalytic amount of hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide [68] (Table 7 Procedure 4, p 194)... 

Chlorooctane (14 9 g, 0 I mol), potassium fluoride dihydrate (47 g, 0 5 mol), hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide (5 1 g, 0 01 mol), and water (30 mL) are mixed in an autoclave equipped with a magnetic stirrer and heated to 160 °C (bath temperature) for 7 h After this time gas-liquid chromatographic analysis (10% Carbowax 20M on Chromosorb) shows a 95% conversion to a mixture of 1-fluorooctane (82%), octenes (6%), and 1-octanol (7%) The organic layer is separated, washed with water, washed with concentrated sulfuric acid, washed once again with water, dried over calcium chloride, and distilled to give 10 g (77%) of ] -fluorooctane... 

These reactions proceed more rapidly in polar aprotic solvents. In DMSO, for example, primary alkyl chlorides are converted to nitriles in 1 h or less at temperatures of 120°-140°C.36 Phase transfer catalysis by hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide permits conversion of 1-chlorooctane to octyl cyanide in 95% yield in 2 h at 105° C.37... 

The nucleophilic displacement of halogens by fluorine can be successfully carried out by reaction with potassium fluoride under several conditions. Primary and secondary alkyl halides 1 are converted to the corresponding fluorides 2 by heating with a saturated aqueous solution of potassium fluoride in the presence of catalytic amounts of hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide.56 Small amounts of the corresponding alcohol and the olefinic elimination product are formed as side products. While neopentyl bromide does not react at all, polyhaloalkanes give only products of elimination or hydrolysis. Chlorocyclohexane gives only the elimination product.56... 

Table 7. Reactions of Primary Alkyl Halides with Potassium Fluoride and Hexadecyltributylphosphonium Bromide [68]...

Three PTC methods are worthy of note. In the first the alkyl halide is treated with sodium cyanide in decane solution in the presence of catalytic amounts of hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide.1673 In the second tetraethylammo-nium cyanide in molar quantities is used in dichloromethane solution with the alkyl halide.1676 In the third method, which is reported to be most satisfactory in the case of allylic and benzylic halides, a solid/liquid system of potassium cyanide and 18-crown-6 ether is employed.168... 

Reduction of halides and sulfonates.2 Sodium borohydride effects this reaction under phase-transfer conditions (aqueous C6H5CH3 or CH2C12). The more lipophilic salts hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide or tetraoctylammonium bromide are the most effective catalysts. 

RN3- RNH2 The reduction of azides to amines normally proceeds in poor yield, but can proceed in 79-92% yield if carried out with NaBH4 in toluene-water in the presence of hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide as phase-transfer catalyst. 

In 1971, Starks introduced the term phase-transfer catalysis to explain the critical role of tetraalkylammonium or phosphonium salts (Q 1 X ) in the reactions between two substances located in different immiscible phases [1], For instance, the displacement reaction of 1-chlorooctane with aqueous sodium cyanide is accelerated many thousand-fold by the addition of hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide 1 as a phase-transfer catalyst (Scheme 1.1). The key element of this tremendous reactivity enhancement is the generation of quaternary phosphonium cyanide, which renders the cyanide anion organic soluble and sufficiently nucleophilic. 

Cleavage of ethers, Dialkyl and alkyl aryl ethers are cleaved by 47% hydro-bromic acid in an aqueous organic solvent in the presence of an onium salt (hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide, tetraoctylammonium bromide) that is completely soluble in the organic phase. Dialkyl ethers are converted into alkyl bromides (65-90% yield),whereas a phenol and an alkyl bromide are obtained from alkyl aryl ethers (85-90% yields). 

Alkylation of phthalimide anion can be carried out under solid-liquid phase-transfer conditions, using phosphonium salts or ammonium salts. In the reaction systems using hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide, alkyl bromides and alkyl methanesulfonate are more reactive than alkyl chlorides. Octyl iodide is less reactive than the corresponding bromide and chloride. ( )-2-Octyl methanesulfonate was converted into (S)-2-octylamine with 92.5% inversion. Kinetic resolution of racemic ethyl 2-bromopro-pionate by the use of a chiral quaternary ammonium salt catalyst has been reported. Under liquid-liquid phase-transfer conditions, A -alkylation of phthalimide has been reported to give poor results. ... 

In several other typical anion-promoted two-phase reactions, (1) was found to be less effective than hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide, a typical phase-transfer catalyst. 

Reduction of disulfides and N-tosylsulfiUmines. These sulfur compounds are reduced to thiols and sulfides, respectively, by thiourea dioxide under phase-transfer conditions (aqueous NaOH, hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide). 

SULFIDES Hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide. N,N-Methylphenylaminottiphenyl-phosphonium iodide. Methyltricarylylammonium chloride. Tri- -bulylphosphine-Di-alkyl disulfides. 

Results are compared in Table 9 with those obtained under the same conditions with a typical lipophilic onium salt such as hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide [38],... 

An aq. soln. of thiourea dioxide and NaOH added to a stirred mixture of methyl phenyl N-tosylsulfilimine, hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide as phase transfer catalyst, and isopropyl ether, then stirred 4 hrs. at 70° -> methyl phenyl sulfide. Y 93%. F. e., sdso mercaptans from disulfides (cf. Synth. Meth. 14, 63), s. G. Borgogno, S. Colonna, and R. Fomasier, Synthesis 1975, 529 formulas s. Synth. Meth. 30, 700. 

P-(arylthio) — bi(phosphonium salts) ethylenephosphonium salts hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide -- startg. m. f. 

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