INTRAMOLECULAR NUCLEOPHILIC DISPLACEMENT REACTIONS

Intramolecular nucleophilic displacement reactions of aromatic nitro group by various nucleophiles include cydization reactions, which provide practical methods for the synthesis of a variety of heterocycles. 1 hope that the text of this review suggests a wide range of potential of this reaction in organic synthesis of various heterocycles. However, it is necessary to stress that some structural types described in this review could be prepared with similar, or even better yields by other methods. In spite of this, there are many heterocyclic systems for the synthesis of which the denitrocyclization strategy is a method of choice. 

Thionyl chloride undergoes a cyclization reaction with ketones. Enoli-zation of the intermediate sulfenyl chloride, followed by the base-induced intramolecular nucleophilic displacement reaction, produces the thietanone... 

A second example is the formation of an endo-triazoline from a chloronor-bornyltriazene compound, apparently by an intramolecular nucleophilic displacement reaction (Scheme 106).373 Direct azide addition to norbornene is known to lead exclusively to the exo adducts (Section II,A,1). 

Intramolecular nucleophilic displacement reactions and iminium ion-mediated cyclizations... 

B. M. Tadayoni and J. Rebek, Jr., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 1, 13 (1991). Intramolecular Nucleophilic Displacement Reactions at Carboxyl Oxygen. 

Ring closure of 2-chloro-l-phenethylpyridinium ion (247) (prepared in situ) to l,2-dihydro-3,4-benzoquinolizium ion involves intramolecular nucleophilic displacement of the chloro group by the phenyl 77-electrons. A related intermolecular reaction involving a more activated pyridine ring and more nucleophilic 7r-electrons is the formation of 4-( -dimethylaminophenyl)pyridine (and benzaldehyde) from dimethylaniline and 1-benzoylpyridinium chloride (cf. Section III,B,4,c). 

Intramolecular nucleophilic displacement of the bromo group by an azine-nitrogen occurs in the cyclization of A-2-quinaldyl-2-bromo-pyridinium bromide (248) to give the naphthoimidazopyridinium ring system. The reaction of 2-bromopyridine and pyridine 1-oxide yields l-(2-pyridoxy)pyridinium bromide (249) which readily undergoes an intramolecular nucleophilic substitution in which departure of hydrogen as a proton presumably facilitates the formation of 250 by loss of the JV-oxypyridyl moiety. 

Dimethylsulfonium methylide is both more reactive and less stable than dimethylsulfoxonium methylide, so it is generated and used at a lower temperature. A sharp distinction between the two ylides emerges in their reactions with a, ( -unsaturated carbonyl compounds. Dimethylsulfonium methylide yields epoxides, whereas dimethylsulfoxonium methylide reacts by conjugate addition and gives cyclopropanes (compare Entries 5 and 6 in Scheme 2.21). It appears that the reason for the difference lies in the relative rates of the two reactions available to the betaine intermediate (a) reversal to starting materials, or (b) intramolecular nucleophilic displacement.284 Presumably both reagents react most rapidly at the carbonyl group. In the case of dimethylsulfonium methylide the intramolecular displacement step is faster than the reverse of the addition, and epoxide formation takes place. 

A free-radical mechanism has been suggested for the nitrosation of 1,2-phenylenediamine (22) by peroxynitrite PN/CO2. 1,2,3-Benzotriazole (26) was formed as a result of an intramolecular nucleophilic displacement on the diazo hydroxide (25) by the neighbouring amine group. The authors suggest that the mechanism involves an initial H-atom abstraction or one-electron oxidation from (22) by CO3 , followed by the reaction of the product (23) with NO. The inhibitory effects of azide support a free-radical mechanism of the reaction. 

Several mechanisms have been proposed for the intriguing interconversions of sulfur (or selenium) rings. These include the formation of (i) radicals by homolytic S-S bond cleavage, (ii) thiosulfoxides of the type S =S via ring contraction (an intramolecular process) or (iii) spirocyclic sulfuranes (or sele-nanes) via an intermolecular process. A fourth alternative (iv) invokes nucleophilic displacement reactions. Generic examples of mechanisms (ii)-(iv) for homoatomic sulfur or selenium rings are depicted in Scheme 12.1. 

Intramolecular nucleophilic displacements, such as those in lactone formation, have faster reaction rates than intermolecular S,42 reactions because the latter require two species to collide. The neighboring participant is said to furnish anchimeric assistance. 

The optically active N-aminoindoline (265) has been applied to the asymmetric synthesis of a variety of a-amino acids (70JA2476, 2488). Starting from TV-benzoyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahy-droquinaldine (257), the chloro amide (258) was prepared by von Braun cleavage. Thermolysis converted (258) to the rrans-unsaturated amide (259) which was epoxidized. On base treatment the epoxide (260) underwent intramolecular nucleophilic displacement and amide hydrolysis to afford indoline (261) stereospecifically. Resolution of (261) was accomplished via the brucine salt of the N-o-carboxybenzoyl derivative (262). Alkaline hydrolysis, N-nitrosation and reduction yielded the levorotatory 1-aminoindoline (265). Reaction of... 

Alternatively, the remaining sulfate ester of 70 may serve as a leaving group for a second nucleophilic displacement reaction. When this displacement is by an intramolecular nucleophile, a new ring is formed, as was first shown in the synthesis of a cyclopropane with malonate as the nucleophile [68] and of aziridines with amines as the nucleophiles [76]. The concept is further illustrated in the double displacement on (/J,/ )-stilbenediol cyclic sulfate (72) by benzamidine (73) to produce the chiral imidazoline 74 [79]. Conversion of the imidazoline (74) to (.V,.S )-stilbenediaminc 75 demonstrates an alternative route to optically active 1,2-diamines. Acylation of 75 with chloroacetyl chloride forms a bisamide, which, after reduction with diborane, is cyclized to the enantiomerically pure trans-2,3-diphenyl- 1,4-diazabicy-clo[2.2.2]octane (76) [81],... 

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