Isocyanates, addition from nitro compounds

Reductive carbonylation of nitro compounds is catalyzed by various Pd catalysts. Phenyl isocyanate (93) is produced by the PdCl2-catalyzed reductive carbonylation (deoxygenation) of nitrobenzene with CO, probably via nitrene formation. Extensive studies have been carried out to develop the phosgene-free commercial process for phenyl isocyanate production from nitroben-zene[76]. Effects of various additives such as phenanthroline have been stu-died[77-79]. The co-catalysts of montmorillonite-bipyridylpalladium acetate and Ru3(CO) 2 are used for the reductive carbonylation oLnitroarenes[80,81]. Extensive studies on the reaction in alcohol to form the A -phenylurethane 94 have also been carried out[82-87]. Reaction of nitrobenzene with CO in the presence of aniline affords diphenylurea (95)[88]. 

Nitrile oxide J -I- 2 cycloaddition.1 A key step in a recent stereospecific synthesis of biotin (6) from cycloheptene (1) is an intramolecular [3 + 2]cyclo-addition of a nitrile oxide (a), obtained by dehydration of a primary nitro compound (3), preferably with phenyl isocyanate. This cycloaddilion is more efficient than the well-known olefinic nitrone cycloaddition. The carbon atoms in 6 derived from cycloheptene are marked with asterisks. 

A number of alkyl- and arylnitrile oxides have been reacted with methylenecyclopropane to give 4-oxa-5-azaspiro[2.4]hept-5-enes 1 (4,5-dihydrospiro[isoxazole-5-cyclopropane]). The nitrile oxides were usually generated in situ from the appropriate primary nitro compound with phenyl isocyanate and triethylamine. The addition is usually regioselective in such a way that the oxygen atom forms a bond with Cl of the three-membered ring. 

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