Imidazoles halogenation

In azole chemistry the total effect of the several heteroatoms in one ring approximates the superposition of their separate effects. It is found that pyrazole, imidazole and isoxazole undergo nitration and sulfonation about as readily as nitrobenzene thiazole and isothiazole react less readily ica. equal to m-dinitrobenzene), and oxadiazoles, thiadiazoles, triazoles, etc. with great difficulty. In each case, halogenation is easier than the corresponding nitration or sulfonation. Strong electron-donor substituents help the reaction. 

Halogen atoms in the 2-position of imidazoles, thiazoles and oxazoles (542) undergo nucleophilic substitution reactions. The conditions required are more vigorous than those used, for example, for a- and y-halogenopyridines, but much less severe than those required for chlorobenzene. Thus in compounds of type (542 X = Cl, Br) the halogen atom can be replaced by the groups NHR, OR, SH and OH (in the last two instances, the products tautomerize see Sections 4.02.3.7 and 4.02.3.8.1). 

Electrophilic substitution occurs readily in Af-phenyl groups, e.g. 1-phenyI-pyrazoIes, -imidazoles and -pyrazolinones are all nitrated and halogenated at the para position. The aryl group is attacked preferentially when the reactions are carried out in strongly acidic media, where the azole ring is protonated. 

Most electrophilic substitutions in benzimidazole (31 R = H) occur primarily in the 5-position. In multiple bromination the order followed, 5 > 7 > 6,4 > 2, parallels molecular orbital calculations. In benzimidazole itself the 4(7)- and 5(6)-positions are tautomerically equivalent. Fusion of a benzene ring deactivates C-2 to electrophilic attack to such an extent that it is around 5000 times less reactive than the 2-position of imidazole. Strong electron donors at C-5 direct halogenation to the 4-position, whereas electron-withdrawing groups favor C-4 or C-6 substitution (84MI21). 

Both electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions can generate halogenopur-ines with differences in regioselectivity dependent on substituents and on the nature of the substrate (anion, neutral molecule, or cation). In the neutral molecule nucleophilic displacements occur in the order 2 > 4 > 6 in the anion the imidazole ring may be sufficiently 7r-excessive for attack to occur at C-2, and the nucleophilic substitution order becomes 4 > 6 > 2. Strong electron donors are usually necessary to promote 2-halogenation by electrophilic halogen sources. 

Although purine nucleosides can frequently be halogenated at the vacant imidazole carbon (see above), AMialogenosuccinimides in acetic acid tend to promote intramolecular cyclizations instead. It has been demonstrated that 2-bromoadenosine is not an intermediate in this process (Scheme 55), which is believed to involve initial attack by positive halogen at N-3. 

In vanadium-dependent haloperoxidases, the metal center is coordinated to the imidazole system of a histidine residue, which is similarly responsible for creating hypochlorite or hypobromite as electrophilic halogenating species [274]. Remarkably, a representative of this enzyme class is capable of performing stereoselective incorporation of halides, as has been reported for the conversion of nerolidol to various snyderols. The overall reaction commences through a bromonium intermediate, which cyclizes in an intramolecular process the resulting carbocation can ultimately be trapped upon elimination to three snyderols (Scheme 9.37) [275]. 

Novel l//-imidazo[l,2-a]indole-3-carboxylates 47 were prepared <96SC745>. Thermolyses of halogenated 4,5-dicyanoimidazole derivatives 48 (X = H, Y = F, Cl X = 1, Y = Cl, Br, I) at 100-290 °C led to formation of perhaps the ultimate fused-ring imidazole, hexacaib(Hiitrilelris(iinidazo)triazene (HTT) <96JOC6666>. 

Halogenation of 106 with triphenylphosphine, iodine, and imidazole provided the iodo derivative 109. On treatment with lithium aluminum hydride, 109 was converted into two endocyclic alkenes, 110 and di-O-isopro-pylidenecyclohexanetetrol, in the ratio of 2 1. Oxidation of 110 with dimethyl sulfoxide - oxalyl chloride afforded the enone 111.1,4-Addition of ethyl 2-lithio-l,3-dithiane-2-carboxylate provided compound 112. Reduction of 112 with lithium aluminum hydride, and shortening of the side-chain, gave compound 113, which was converted into 114 by deprotection. ... 

Several modifications of procedures based on halophosphonium ion have been developed. Triphenylphosphine and imidazole in combination with iodine or bromine gives good conversion of alcohols to iodides or bromides.22 An even more reactive system consists of chlorodiphenylphosphine, imidazole, and the halogen,23 and has the further advantage that the resulting phosphorus by-product diphenylphosphinic acid, can be extracted with base during product workup. 

Displacement of a halogen atom of the imidazole ring of a tricyclic 5 6 5 angular system via nucleophilic attack at carbon has been used to incorporate amines, the trifluoromethyl group, or ethers as illustrated for the reaction of 69 with methoxide to give 70 (Equation 10) <2004BML1291>. However, the authors do not comment on the yields obtained in these reactions. 

Reactive halogen crosslinkers are mainly specific for sulfhydryl groups at physiological pH, however at more alkaline pH values they can readily cross-react with amines and the imidazole nitrogens of histidine residues. Some reactivity with hydroxyl-containing compounds also may be realized, particularly with dichloro-s-triazine derivatives under alkaline conditions. 

The stability of dialkylimidazolium cation-containing ionic liquids can be a problem even at moderate temperatures in the presence of some reagents or catalysts. For example, when CsF and KF were used in the ionic liquid [BMIM]PFg to perform a halogen exchange reaction in an attempt to replace Br from bromo-carbons with F , it was found that alkyl elimination from the [BMIM] cation took place, forming methyl imidazole, 1-butene, 1-fluorobutane, and other unidentified products at 150°C overnight 69). The fluoride ion acted as a base that promotes elimination or substitution processes. 

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