Hoffmann reaction

W. Hoffmann, "Reaction Calorimetry in Safety - the Nitration of 2,6-Disubstituted Benzonitrile", Chimia, 42, 62, (1989). 

In 1899, Erdmann obtained the same compound in good yield from anthranilic acid and phosgene and suggested the name isatoic anhydride. An alternative synthesis of isatoic anhydride [2//-3,l-benzoxazine-2,4(lH)-dione, subsequently abbreviated as lA] was found by Curtius and Semper from phthalic acid monoazide (5) via o-carboxyphenyl isocyanate. Similar rearrangements were discovered by Bredt and Hor [from potassium phthal-imide (6)] and by Mohr [from phthalimide (7)] leading to IA via a Hoffmann reaction. 

Methyl anthranilate (41) is synthesized from either naphthalene (200) or o-xylene (201) as shown in Figure 6.34. Oxidation of either starting material produces phthalic acid (202). Conversion of this diacid to its imide, followed by the Hoffmann reaction, gives anthranilic acid, and the methyl ester can then be obtained by reaction with methanol. 

A route has been described for the preparation of anhydrous (J )-epi-chlorohydrin (57) from D-mannitol this epoxide could be converted (Scheme 15) into the lactone (58) by initial attack at the epoxide, and hence into (-)-(lS,2R)-l-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)cyclopropane carboxylic acid (59) through Hoffmann reaction. 54... 

VIII. Hydrolysis and Hoffmann Reaction of Ethyl 3-Cyano-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-2-quinolyl-5-pyridinecarboxylate. Yakugaku Zasshi 87, 1195 (1967). 

The Woodward-Hoffmann method [52], which assumes conservation of orbital symmetry, is another variant of the same idea. In it, the emphasis is put on the symmetries of molecular orbitals. Longuet-Higgins and Abramson [53] noted the necessity of state-to-state correlation, rather than the orbital correlation, which is not rigorously justified (see also, [30,44]). However, the orbital symmetry conservation rules appear to be very useful for most themial reactions. 

Electi ocyclic reactions are examples of cases where ic-electiDn bonds transform to sigma ones [32,49,55]. A prototype is the cyclization of butadiene to cyclobutene (Fig. 8, lower panel). In this four electron system, phase inversion occurs if no new nodes are fomred along the reaction coordinate. Therefore, when the ring closure is disrotatory, the system is Hiickel type, and the reaction a phase-inverting one. If, however, the motion is conrotatory, a new node is formed along the reaction coordinate just as in the HCl + H system. The reaction is now Mdbius type, and phase preserving. This result, which is in line with the Woodward-Hoffmann rules and with Zimmerman s Mdbius-Huckel model [20], was obtained without consideration of nuclear symmetry. This conclusion was previously reached by Goddard [22,39]. 

We have seen (Section I) that there are two types of loops that are phase inverting upon completing a round hip an i one and an ip one. A schematic representation of these loops is shown in Figure 10. The other two options, p and i p loops do not contain a conical intersection. Let us assume that A is the reactant, B the desired product, and C the third anchor. In an ip loop, any one of the three reaction may be the phase-inverting one, including the B C one. Thus, the A B reaction may be phase preserving, and still B may be attainable by a photochemical reaction. This is in apparent contradiction with predictions based on the Woodward-Hoffmann rules (see Section Vni). The different options are summarized in Figure 11. 

Suprafacial attack of me ethene molecule on anotlier (left) is not permitted by the Woodward-Hoffmann id the alternative antarafacial mode of attack is sterically unfavourable. Suprafacial attack is however permitted Diels-Alder reaction between butadiene and ethene (right). 

Along "Reaction Paths", Orbitals Can be Connected One-to-One According to Their Symmetries and Energies. This is the Origin of the Woodward-Hoffmann Rules I. Reduction in Symmetry... 

The direct connection of rings A and D at C l cannot be achieved by enamine or sul> fide couplings. This reaction has been carried out in almost quantitative yield by electrocyclic reactions of A/D Secocorrinoid metal complexes and constitutes a magnificent application of the Woodward-Hoffmann rules. First an antarafacial hydrogen shift from C-19 to C-1 is induced by light (sigmatropic 18-electron rearrangement), and second, a conrotatory thermally allowed cyclization of the mesoionic 16 rc-electron intermediate occurs. Only the A -trans-isomer is formed (A. Eschenmoser, 1974 A. Pfaltz, 1977). 

Frontier orbital analysis is a powerful theory that aids our understanding of a great number of organic reactions Its early development is attributed to Professor Kenichi Fukui of Kyoto University Japan The application of frontier orbital methods to Diels-Alder reactions represents one part of what organic chemists refer to as the Woodward-Hoffmann rules a beautifully simple analysis of organic reactions by Professor R B Woodward of Harvard University and Professor Roald Hoffmann of Cornell University Professors Fukui and Hoffmann were corecipients of the 1981 Nobel Prize m chemistry for their work... 

Only one exception to the clean production of two monomer molecules from the pyrolysis of dimer has been noted. When a-hydroxydi-Zvxyljlene (9) is subjected to the Gorham process, no polymer is formed, and the 16-carbon aldehyde (10) is the principal product in its stead, isolated in greater than 90% yield. This transformation indicates that, at least in this case, the cleavage of dimer proceeds in stepwise fashion rather than by a concerted process in which both methylene—methylene bonds are broken at the same time. This is consistent with the predictions of Woodward and Hoffmann from orbital symmetry considerations for such [6 + 6] cycloreversion reactions in the ground state (5). 

Even though form amide was synthesized as early as 1863 by W. A. Hoffmann from ethyl formate [109-94-4] and ammonia, it only became accessible on a large scale, and thus iadustrially important, after development of high pressure production technology. In the 1990s, form amide is mainly manufactured either by direct synthesis from carbon monoxide and ammonia, or more importandy ia a two-stage process by reaction of methyl formate (from carbon monoxide and methanol) with ammonia. 

For the industrial production of riboflavin as pharmaceuticals, the traditional methodology comprising the dkect condensation of (13) with (14) in an acidic medium with continuous optimisation of the reaction conditions is stiU used (28). A great part of riboflavin manufactured by fermentative methods is used for feeds in the form of concentrates. The present world demand of riboflavin may be about 2500 t per year. Of this amount, 60%, 25%, and 15% are used for feeds, pharmaceuticals, and foodstuffs, respectively. The main producers are Hoffmann-La Roche, BASF, Merck Co., and others. 

As practiced by Hoffmann-La Roche, the commercial synthesis of vitamin is outlined ia Figure 1. Oxidation of 2-methylnaphthalene (4) yields menadione (3). Catalytic reduction to the naphthohydroquinone (5) is followed by reaction with a ben2oating reagent to yield the bis-benzoate (6). Selective deprotection yields the less hindered ben2oate (7). Condensation of isophytol (8) (see Vitamins, vitamins) with (7) under acid-cataly2ed conditions yields the coupled product (9). Saponification followed by an air oxidation yields vitamin (1) (29). 

In a novel approach to vitamin K, Hoffmann-La Roche has exploited the potential acidity at C-3 as a means to attach the side chain of vitamin (36). Menadione was reacted with cyclopentadiene to yield the Diels-Alder adduct. The adduct is treated with base and alkylated at C-3 with phytyl chloride. A retro Diels-Alder reaction yields vitamin K. Process improvements in this basic methodology have been claimed by Japanese workers (37). 

Alkyl fluorides have been prepared by reaction between elementary fluorine and the paraffins, by the addition of hydrogen fluoride to olefins, by the reaction of alkyl halides with mercurous fluoride, with mercuric fluoride, with silver fluoride, or with potassium fluoride under pressure. The procedure used is based on that of Hoffmann involving interaction at atmospheric pressure of anhydrous potassium fluoride with an alkyl halide in the presence of ethylene glycol as a solvent for the inorganic fluoride a small amount of olefin accompanies the alkyl fluoride produced and is readily removed by treatment with bromine-potassium bromide solution. Methods for the preparation of alkyl monofluorides have been reviewed. ... 

The key to understanding the mechanism of the concerted pericyclic reactions was the recognition by Woodward and Hoffmann that the pathways of such reactions were determined by the symmetry properties of the orbitals that were directly involved. Their recognition that the symmetry of each participating orbital must be conserved during the... 

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