Isobutene Ritter reaction

Similarly, zeolites can catalyze the addition of ammonia to an olefinic double bond, as is exemplified by the BASF process for the production of tert-butylamine by reaction of isobutene with ammonia, in the vapor phase, over a rare earth exchanged ZSM-5 or Yzeolite (Fig. 2.20) [58, 59]. This process has an atom efficiency of 100% and replaced a conventional synthesis via a Ritter reaction, which employs HCN and sulfuric acid and generates formate as a coproduct. 

Glikmans, G., Torek, B., Hellin, M., Coussemant, F. Ritter reaction between isobutene and acrylonitrile. II. Kinetic study. Butt. Soc. Chim. Fr. 1966, 1383-1388. 

Miscellaneous Reactions. Isobutene, as the carbenium ion source for Ritter reactions, produces Al-r-butyl amides (eq 34). Isobutene undergoes highly regioselective cycloaddition with isocyanate to form azetidinones and with nitrones to yield isox-azolidines (eqs 35 and 36). Allyl thioethers are formed by the electrophilic addition of Benzenesulfenyl Chloride to isobutene (eq 37). Alkenylphosphonous dichlorides and alkenylthionophosphonic dichlorides are also formed by addition of PCI5 and P2S5 (eqs 38 and 39). ... 

Olah et al. reported the triflic acid-catalyzed isobutene-iso-butylene alkylation, modified with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or water. They found that the best alkylation conditions were at an acid strength of about//q = —10.7, giving a calculated research octane number (RON) of 89.1 (TfOH/TFA) and91.3 (TfOH/HaO). Triflic acid-modified zeohtes can be used for the gas phase synthesis of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), and the mechanism of activity enhancement by triflic acid modification appears to be related to the formation of extra-lattice Al rather than the direct presence of triflic acid. A thermally stable solid catalyst prepared from amorphous silica gel and triflic acid has also been reported. The obtained material was found to be an active catalyst in the alkylation of isobutylene with n-butenes to yield high-octane gasoline components. A similar study has been carried out with triflic acid-functionalized mesoporous Zr-TMS catalysts. Triflic acid-catalyzed carbonylation, direct coupling reactions, and formylation of toluene have also been reported. Tritlic acid also promotes transalkylation and adaman-tylation of arenes in ionic liquids. Triflic acid-mediated reactions of methylenecyclopropanes with nitriles have also been investigated to provide [3 + 2] cycloaddition products as well as Ritter products. Tritlic acid also catalyzes cyclization of unsaturated alcohols to cyclic ethers. ... 

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