Side-Chain Hydrolysis

Hammen equation A correlation between the structure and reactivity in the side chain derivatives of aromatic compounds. Its derivation follows from many comparisons between rate constants for various reactions and the equilibrium constants for other reactions, or other functions of molecules which can be measured (e g. the i.r. carbonyl group stretching frequency). For example the dissociation constants of a series of para substituted (O2N —, MeO —, Cl —, etc.) benzoic acids correlate with the rate constant k for the alkaline hydrolysis of para substituted benzyl chlorides. If log Kq is plotted against log k, the data fall on a straight line. Similar results are obtained for meta substituted derivatives but not for orthosubstituted derivatives. 

By side-chain chlorination of the hydrocarbon (Section IV,23), followed by hydrolysis of the dichloro compound, say, with water at 95-100° in the presfflKe of iron as a catalyst, for example ... 

The exocyclic 1,3-dioxolane ring is much more vulnerable to acid hydrolysis than the ring connected with the acetal group. Partial deprotection of the side-chain is easily achieved by treatment with sulfurie acid. 

Site of chymotrypsin catalyzed hydrolysis when R is an aromatic side chain... 

FIGURE 27 19 Proposed mechanism of hydrolysis of a peptide catalyzed by carboxypeptidase A The peptide is bound at the active site by an ionic bond between its C terminal ammo acid and the positively charged side chain of arginine 145 Coordination of Zn to oxygen makes the carbon of the carbonyl group more positive and increases the rate of nucleophilic attack by water... 

Acylated Corticoids. The corticoid side-chain of (30) was converted iato the cycHc ortho ester (96) by reaction with a lower alkyl ortho ester RC(OR )2 iu benzene solution ia the presence of i ra-toluenesulfonic acid (88). Acid hydrolysis of the product at room temperature led to the formation of the 17-monoesters (97) ia nearly quantitative yield. The 17-monoesters (97) underwent acyl migration to the 21-monoesters (98) on careful heating with. In this way, prednisolone 17a,21-methylorthovalerate was converted quantitatively iato prednisolone 17-valerate, which is a very active antiinflammatory agent (89). The iatermediate ortho esters also are active. Thus, 17a,21-(l -methoxy)-pentyhdenedioxy-l,4-pregnadiene-liP-ol-3,20-dione [(96), R = CH3, R = C Hg] is at least 70 times more potent than prednisolone (89). The above conversions... 

Another synthesis of the cortisol side chain from a C17-keto-steroid is shown in Figure 20. Treatment of a C3-protected steroid 3,3-ethanedyidimercapto-androst-4-ene-ll,17-dione [112743-82-5] (144) with a tnhaloacetate, 2inc, and a Lewis acid produces (145). Addition of a phenol and potassium carbonate to (145) in refluxing butanone yields the aryl vinyl ether (146). Concomitant reduction of the C20-ester and the Cll-ketone of (146) with lithium aluminum hydride forms (147). Deprotection of the C3-thioketal, followed by treatment of (148) with y /(7-chlotopetben2oic acid, produces epoxide (149). Hydrolysis of (149) under acidic conditions yields cortisol (29) (181). 

A three-step process involving the oxidation of acetophenone, hydrogenation of the ketone to a-phenylethanol, and dehydration of the alcohol to styrene was practiced commercially by Union Carbide (59) until the early 1960s. Other technologies considered during the infancy of the styrene industry include side-chain chlorination of ethylbenzene followed by dehydrochlotination or followed by hydrolysis and dehydration. 

The only industrially important processes for the manufacturing of synthetic benzaldehyde involve the hydrolysis of benzal chloride [98-87-3] and the air oxidation of toluene. The hydrolysis of benzal chloride, which is produced by the side-chain chlorination of toluene, is the older of the two processes. It is no longer utilized ia the United States. Other processes, including the oxidation of benzyl alcohol, the reduction of benzoyl chloride, and the reaction of carbon monoxide and benzene, have been utilized ia the past, but they no longer have any iadustrial appHcation. 

The side-chain chlorine contents of benzyl chloride, benzal chloride, and benzotrichlorides are determined by hydrolysis with methanolic sodium hydroxide followed by titration with silver nitrate. Total chlorine determination, including ring chlorine, is made by standard combustion methods (55). Several procedures for the gas chromatographic analysis of chlorotoluene mixtures have been described (56,57). Proton and nuclear magnetic resonance shifts, characteristic iafrared absorption bands, and principal mass spectral peaks have been summarized including sources of reference spectra (58). Procedures for measuring trace benzyl chloride ia air (59) and ia water (60) have been described. 

A number of examples of monoacylated diols produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of prochiral carboxylates are presented in Table 3. PLE-catalyzed conversions of acycHc diesters strongly depend on the stmcture of the substituent and are usually poor for alkyl derivatives. Lipases are much less sensitive to the stmcture of the side chain the yields and selectivity of the hydrolysis of both alkyl (26) and aryl (24) derivatives are similar. The enzyme selectivity depends not only on the stmcture of the alcohol, but also on the nature of the acyl moiety (48). 

Esters undergo hydrolysis and conversion to amides under the usual conditions, and amide side chains have also been formed from the acid and amine with DCCI. Acids have been formed from the corresponding spirohydantoins via ureido derivatives (Section 2.15.15.6.1), and undergo decarboxylation in the usual manner. 

Many functional groups are stable to alkaline hydrogen peroxide. Acetate esters are usually hydrolyzed under the reaction conditions although methods have been developed to prevent hydrolysis.For the preparation of the 4,5-oxiranes of desoxycorticosterone, hydrocortisone, and cortisone, the alkali-sensitive ketol side chains must be protected with a base-resistant group, e.g., the tetrahydropyranyl ether or the ethylene ketal derivative. Sodium carbonate has been used successfully as a base with unprotected ketol side chains, but it should be noted that some ketols are sensitive to sodium carbonate in the absence of hydrogen peroxide. The spiroketal side chain of the sapogenins is stable to the basic reaction conditions. 

The sensitivity of this ketol side chain to acid or base requires careful control of the hydrolysis of the epoxyacetate. Alternatively, the enol acetate can be brominated and the resulting bromo ketone converted to the 21-acetoxy-20-ketone ... 

H2O2, NaHC03, THF. The 10-acetate, which is an a-keto acetate, is cleaved in the presence of the taxol side chain that is prone to hydrolysis with other reagents. ... 

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