Imines Knoevenagel reaction

The Knoevenagel reaction between o-hydroxyaryl aldehydes and ketones and substituted acetonitriles affords high yields of 3-substituted coumarins in aqueous alkaline media <96H(43)1257>, whilst 4-hydroxycoumarins have been elaborated to pyrano [3,2-c]benzopyran-5-ones by reaction with aromatic aldehydes and malononitiile <96P148>. The imine (10) resulting from the complex reaction of o-hydroxyacetophenone with malononitrile undergoes a 1,5-tautomeric shift in solution <96JCS(P1)1067>. 

Besides the domino Michael/SN processes, domino Michael/Knoevenagel reactions have also been used. Thus, Obrecht, Filippone and Santeusanio employed this type of process for the assembly of highly substituted thiophenes [102] and pyrroles [103]. Marinelli and colleagues have reported on the synthesis of various 2,4-disubstituted quinolines [104] and [l,8]naphthyridines [105] by means of a domino Michael addition/imine cyclization. Related di- and tetrahydroquinolines were prepared by a domino Michael addition/aldol condensation described by the Hamada group [106]. A recent example of a domino Michael/aldol condensation process has been reported by Brase and coworkers [107], by which substituted tetrahydroxan-thenes 2-186 were prepared from salicylic aldehydes 2-184 and cycloenones 2-185 (Scheme 2.43). 

Two mechanisms have been proposed for the Knoevenagel reaction. In one, the role of the amine is to form an imine or iminium salt (378) which subsequently reacts with the enolate of the active methylene compound. Under normal circumstances elimination of the amine would give the cinnamic acid derivative (379). However, when an o-hydroxy group is present in the aromatic aldehyde intramolecular ring closure to the coumarin can occur. The timing of the various steps may be different from that shown (Scheme 118). 

Hollinshead [32] used polymer-bound enones for the synthesis of highly functionalized pyrrolidines. 3-Hydroxyacetophenone was immobilized on chlorinated Wang resin and transformed into polymer-bound enones upon a Knoevenagel reaction with aldehydes. Pyrrolidines were then formed in the addition of azomethinylides, generated from imines, LiBr and DBU (Fig. 6.24). 

The Knoevenagel reaction is strongly solvent-dependent. The first step, the formation of the enolate from the 1,3-dicarbonyl and its addition to the carbonyl (or imine) is facilitated in solvents of high polarity and the second step, 1,2-elimination, is inhibited by protic solvents. Thus, dipolar aprotic solvents such as dimethylformamide are especially useful in Knoevenagel condensations. - ... 

There is almost no restriction in the choice of an appropriate electrophile in the Knoevenagel reaction. Aldehydes, ketones, thioketones, imines, enamines, acetals and orthoesters have been used. With less reactive methylene groups, however, drastic reaction conditions may be necessary. Steric effects have a significant influence on the rate and unexpected compounds are often obtained as a result of secondary reactions. Reaction of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with carbon disulfide followed by dialkylation with an alkyl halide give diacylketene-S,5-acetals (159). However, even with highly acidic dicarbonyl com-... 

The condensation of active methylene compounds of the type Z-CH2-Z or Z-CHR-Z with aldehydes or ketones, usually not containing an alpha hydrogen, is as the Knoevenagel reaction [1] (Scheme 1). Ketones are generally less reactive than aldehydes. Imines can also be used instead of aldehydes or ketones, giving the same final product, but eliminating the amine instead of water [2]. 

A combination of Michael addition, Mannich reaction, and intramolecular condensation allowed Xu and coworkers to get a quite facile access to tetrahydropyridines 165 with C3 all-carbon quaternary stereocenters in moderate yields and good optical purity (up to 74% ee) [79], The developed organocatalytic enantioselective multicomponent cascade reaction relies on the catalytic ability of the simple (5)-proline (1) that quickly reacts with the intermediate A, generated in turn via a Knoevenagel reaction between the p-ketoester 91 and formaldehyde 65. The resnlting iminium ion B undergoes the nucleophilic attack of a second moiety of p-ketoester 91 prodncing the Michael adduct D. Such intermediate enamine is then involved in the Mannich reaction with the imine E (dne to the in situ condensation between primary amine 51 and formaldehyde 65) to furnish the advanced intermediate F, which after an intramolecular condensation releases the (5)-proline (1), and the desired prodnct 165 (Scheme 2.52). 

The Knoevenagel reaction is a base-catalyzed aldol-type reaction that can occur through two possible mechanisms, depending on the type of base used. When Emil Knoevenagel made his initial discovery of this reaction, it was already known that benzaldehyde could condense with two equivalents of piperidine to provide the benzylidine bispiperidine aminal 1 Therefore, he proposed the intermediacy of an aminal (or imine) in the condensation. 

Iminium ions are intermediates in a group of reactions that form ,( -unsaturated compounds having structures corresponding to those formed by mixed aldol addition followed by dehydration. These reactions are catalyzed by amines or buffer systems containing an amine and an acid and are referred to as Knoevenagel condensations,2U The reactive electrophile is probably the protonated form of the imine, since it is a more reactive electrophile than the corresponding carbonyl compound.212... 

Aminosilicas have been widely studied for use in catalysis, either as a base catalyst or as a support for metal complexes (12). For example, amine functionalized silica can be used to catalyze the Knoevenagel condensation, an important C-C bond forming reaction. Also, the amine sites on the silica can be further functionalized to form supported imines, guanidine, and other species... 

Reaction of the enatiopure aldehyde 2-800, obtained from the corresponding imine by enantioselective hydrogenation, with Meldrum s acid (2-801) and the enol ether 2-802a (E/Z= 1 1) in the presence of a catalytic amount of ethylene diammonium diacetate for 4h gave 2-805 in 90 % yield with a 1,3 induction of >24 1. As intermediates, the Knoevenagel product 2-803 and the primarily produced cycloadduct 2-804 can be supposed the latter loses C02 and acetone by reaction with water formed during the condensation step (Scheme 2.178). 

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