Hoesch reaction, with pyrroles

Hoesch reaction. In most cases, a Lewis acid is necessary zinc chloride is the most common. The reaction is generally useful only with phenols, phenolic ethers, and some reactive heterocyclic compounds (e.g., pyrrole), but it can be extended to aromatic amines by the use of BCls. Acylation in the case of amines is regioselectively ortho. Monohydric phenols, however, generally do not give ketones " but are attacked at the oxygen to produce imino esters. Many nitriles... 

Alkylation of pyrroles proves to be problematic because the usual Lewis acid catalysts initiate polymerization. The Vilsmeier-Haack formylation, however, leads to the formation of pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde in good yield. The Houben-Hoesch acylation (reaction with nitriles in the presence of hydrogen chloride) provides 2-acylpyrroles ... 

As is the case with pyrroles, C-alkylation of indoles results in mixtures of products. Formylation and acylation, however, occur more readily. The Vilsmeier-Haack reaction furnishes indole-3-carbaldehyde heating with acetic anhydride produces 3-acetylindole. In the Houben-Hoesch acylation, substitution takes place in the 3-position. 

For a complete description of the synthetic utility of the Houben-Hoesch reaction as it applies to other aromatic systems, as well as some mechanistic discussions, the reader is directed to two reviews on the subject. Due to the diminished electrophilic reactivity of nitriles compared to other carboxylic acid derivatives as well as the broad number of Friedel-Crafts substrates, most Houben-Hoesch pyrrole acylation reactions are conducted intramolecularly. However, an impressive intermolecular example was delineated by Chang and co-workers in efforts directed toward the synthesis of novel 2-[5-aroylpyrrolo]alkanoic acids, for evaluation of their potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Treatment of substituted pyrrole 4 and 3-cyanopyridine (5) with acid in dry chloroform resulted in the preparation of 6 in good yield. 

The first intramolecular Houben-Hoesch acylation of pyrrole was reported by Clemo and Ramage, and later used by Adams and co-workers in their efforts to prepare 1-hydroxypyrrolizidine and related compounds. Treatment of cyanopyrrole 7 under standard conditions provided 8, albeit with inconsistent yields presumably due to a nonproductive polymerization reaction that accompanies product formation. A short time later. Gabel provided a modified procedure, using BF3-OEt2 as the solvent." Formation of a somewhat stable BF3-pyrrole complex is suggested to prevent polymerization, while still allowing for cyclization. 

The Hoesch ketone synthesis also functions well in the pyrrole series s, 28, 33 ketones resulting from reaction with a variety of reagents R.CN R = Me, CH2GI, G02Et, GN, -GH2GN) in the presence of ethereal hydrogen chloride. Orientation follows the same rules as in the Gattermann reaction. 2,3,4-Trimethylpyrrole is said not to react with acetonitrile in the Hoesch synthesis. 

To meet the needs of the advanced students, preparations have now been included to illustrate, for example, reduction by lithium aluminium hydride and by the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley method, oxidation by selenium dioxide and by periodate, the Michael, Hoesch, Leuckart and Doebner-Miller Reactions, the Knorr pyrrole and the Hantzsch collidine syntheses, various Free Radical reactions, the Pinacol-Pinacolone, Beckmann and Arbusov Rearrangements, and the Bart and the Meyer Reactions, together with many others. 

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