Isocyanates, preparation from

Eloy and Deryckere have applied their synthesis of isocarbostyrils (69HCA1755) to the preparation of thieno[2,3-c]- and thieno[3.2-c]-pyridines (Scheme 65) (70BSB301). Thermal-cyclization of 3-thienylvinyl isocyanate prepared from the corresponding azide (269) by Curtius rearrangement yields thieno[2,3-c]pyridin-7-one (270), which is transformed to (259) following usual methods. 

Tetrahydropyran-2-yl isocyanate, preparable from 2-chlorotetrahydropyran and AgCNO, reacts with amines to form monoalkyl ureas or unsymmetrical dialkyl ureas, and with alcohols to form alkyl carbamates. ... 

Anilides and a-Naphthalides. The Grignard reagents prepared from alkyl halides react with phenyl isocyanate (CgHjN=C=0) or with a-uaphthy l isocyanate (C,oH, N=C=0) to yield addition products that are converted by hydrolysis into anihdes and a-naphthalides respectively RX + Mg —> RMgX... 

Urea derivadves are of general interest in medicinal chemistry. They may be obtained cither from urea itself (barbiturates, sec p. 306) or from amines and isocyanates. The latter are usually prepared from amines and phosgene under evolution of hydrogen chloride. Alkyl isocyanates are highly reactive in nucleophilic addidon reactions. Even amides, e.g. sulfonamides, are nucleophilic enough to produce urea derivatives. 

Preparation from Amines. The most common method of preparing isocyanates, even on a commercial scale, involves the reaction of phosgene [75-44-5] and aromatic or aUphatic amine precursors. The initial reaction step, the formation of N-substituted carbamoyl chloride (1), is highly exothermic and is succeeded by hydrogen chloride elimination which takes place at elevated temperatures. 

Preparation from Nitrene Intermediates. A convenient, small-scale method for the conversion of carboxyhc acid derivatives into isocyanates involves electron sextet rearrangements, such as the ones described by Hofmann and Curtius (12). For example, treatment of ben2amide [55-21-0] with halogens leads to an A/-haloamide (2) which, in the presence of base, forms a nitrene intermediate (3). The nitrene intermediate undergoes rapid rearrangement to yield an isocyanate. Ureas can also be formed in the process if water is present (18,19). 

Molecular weights of poly(propylene oxide) polymers of greater than 100,000 are prepared from catalysts containing FeCl (40,41). The molecular weight of these polymers is gready increased by the addition of small amounts of organic isocyanates (42). Homopolymers of propylene oxide are also prepared by catalysis using diethylzinc—water (43), diphenylzinc—water (44), and trialkyl aluminum (45,46) systems. 

Low viscosity urethane polymers have been prepared from castor od and polymeric isocyanates (82). These low mix viscosity systems are extremely usehd for potting electrical components where fast penetration without air voids, and fast dispensing cycles are desirable. Very low viscosity urethane systems containing castor polyols have been prepared for use in reclaiming water-logged buried telephone cable and for encapsulating telephone cable sphces (83—86). 

Cyanuric acid can also be prepared from HNCO (100). Isocyanic acid [75-13-8] can be synthesized directiy by oxidation of HCN over a silver catalyst (101) or by reaction of H2, CO, and NO (60—75% yield) over palladium or iridium catalysts at 280—450°C (102). Ammonium cyanate and urea are by-products of the latter reaction. 

A third approach to 3-amino-/3-lactams is by Curtius rearrangement of the corresponding acyl azides. These are readily prepared from r-butyl carbazides, available via photochemical ring contraction of 3-diazopyrrolidine-2,4-diones in the presence of f-butyl carbazate (c/. Section 5.09.3.3.2). Thus treatment of (201) with trifluoroacetic acid followed by diazotiz-ation gives the acyl azide (202) which, in thermolysis in benzene and subsequent interception of the resulting isocyanate with r-butanol, yields the protected 3-amino-/3-lactam (203) (73JCS(P1)2907). 

This sulfonyl urea, prepared from an amino acid and p-tosyl isocyanate in 20-80% yield, is cleaved by alcohols (95% aq. EtOH, n-PrOH, or -BuOH, 100°, 1 h, 95% yield). It is stable to dilute base, to acids (HBr/AcOH or cold CF3CO2H), and to hydrazine. ... 

The DMB carbamate can also be introduced through the 4-nitrophenyl carbonate. " It has been prepared from an isocyanate and 3, 5 -dimethoxybenzoin. The synthesis of a number of other substituted benzoins as possible protective groups has been described. ... 

The hydroxyl derivative of X-CN is cyanic acid HO-CN it cannot be prepared pure due to rapid decomposition but it is probably present to the extent of about 3% when its tautomer, isocyanic acid (HNCO) is prepared from sodium cyanate and HCI. HNCO rapidly trimerizes to cyanuric acid (Fig. 8.25) from which it can be regenerated by pyrolysis. It is a fairly strong acid (Ka 1.2 x 10 at 0°) freezing at —86.8° and boiling at 23.5°C. Thermolysis of urea is an alternative route to HNCO and (HNCO)3 the reverse reaction, involving the isomerization of ammonium cyanate, is the clas.sic synthesis of urea by F. Wohler (1828) ... 

From these, prepolymers are prepared where the diisocyanates may be completely reacted as in the case of the urethane oils which resemble the oil-modified alkyds but have urethane (—NHCOO—) links in place of the ester (—COO—) links of the alkyds, or where one only of the isocyanate groups is combined, leaving the other to participate in crosslinking reactions. Such a reactive prepolymer is the biuret that may be prepared from hexamethylene diisocyanate, has the following structure ... 

It is also possible to prepare them from amino acids by the self-condensation reaction (3.12). The PAs (AABB) can be prepared from diamines and diacids by hydrolytic polymerization [see (3.12)]. The polyamides can also be prepared from other starting materials, such as esters, acid chlorides, isocyanates, silylated amines, and nitrils. The reactive acid chlorides are employed in the synthesis of wholly aromatic polyamides, such as poly(p-phenyleneterephthalamide) in (3.4). The molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of these polymers follows the classical theory of molecular weight distribution and is nearly always in the region of 2. In some cases, such as PA-6,6, chain branching can take place and then the Mw/Mn ratio is higher. 

This reaction is relatively fast but can have side reactions, as the isocyanate group can also react with an amide group. Esteramide copolymers are prepared from polyesters with acid endgroups and a diisocyanate.39... 

The application of / -(diphenylphosphinyl)benzenesulphonic acid (58) to the synthesis of esters of amino-acids has made the work-up much simpler, since the resultant oxide is water-soluble. Diphenylphosphinyl isocyanate (59) can be prepared from diphenylphosphinic amide. 

A novel chemoenzymatic route to polyester polyurethanes was developed without employing highly toxic isocyanate intermediates. First, diurethane diols were prepared from cyclic carbonates and primary diamines, which were subsequently polymerized with dicarboxylic acids and glycols by using lipase CA as catalyst, yielding the polyurethanes under mild reaction conditions. 

The following carbamoylimidazole, which was prepared from 14C-labeled methyl-ammonium chloride and CDI, was not isolated. It was instead fragmented by heating in vacuo into the isocyanate, which was then reacted with an alcohol to give the labeled carbamate [220]... 

When JV /V -carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) is reacted with a primary amine in a 1 1 molar ratio, the product is an imidazole-A-carboxamide. However, these compounds dissociate in solution into isocyanates and imidazole even at room temperature,[1] forming a rapidly equilibrating system. Because of this equilibrium, primary imidazole-A-carboxamides can also be prepared from isocyanates and imidazole. 

An alternative route to poly(m-carborane-siloxane) rubbers is via the condensation reaction between w-carborane di-hydrocarbyl-disilanol and a bis-ureidosilane.20 This mild reaction allows the incorporation of desired groups into the polymer via both the dihydrocarbyl-disilanol and the bis-ureidosilane (see scheme 8). The first step involves the formation of the carborane silanol from the butyl lithium carborane derivative. The bis-ureidosilane is prepared from the phenyl isocyanate (see step 2), and the final step involves reacting the dihydrocarbyl-disilanol with bis-ureidosilane. 

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