Isocyanides from alkyl halides

It is possible to replace one isocyanide by triphenylphosphine, or to replace two isocyanides with diphos, giving phosphine analogues of these complexes. These species are not available from analogous reactions of phosphine-palladium(O) and (II) complexes. Reactions with active alkyl halides proceeds with oxidation nitric oxide also oxidizes these complexes. [Eqs. (31, 32)]. 

Urethanes. Methyl carbamates (1) can be prepared from primary or secondary amines, alkyl halides, and carbon dioxide in a reaction promoted by copper(I) /-butoxide (equation I). The ligand t-butyl isocyanide can be replaced with tri-n-butylphosphine. Copper(I) f-butoxide is more effective than other copper salts. In the case of diethylamine, the intermediates a and b were isolated and b was converted to the methyl carbamate in 86% yield. 

Alkyl Cyanides from Potassium Cyanide.—That potassium cyanide has the constitution corresponding to an alkyl cyanide is supported by the fact that alkyl halides with potassium cyanide yield alkyl cyanides and not isocyanides. 

TosMIC can be efriciently alkylated with primary alkyl halides, isopropyl iodide and benzyl bromide both to the corresponding mono- or di-alkyl derivatives using NaH in DMSO or 40% aq. NaOH in and in the presence of Bu"4NI (Scheme 125). The resulting compounds have then been transformed to aldehydes and ketones, including cycloalkanones, and the method has been successfully applied to the synthesis of optically active 2-methylcyclobutanone from the chiral sulfonylmethyl isocyanide and 1,3-dibromobutane. ... 

When an alkyl halide is treated with silver cyanide, reaction takes place in the usual way a silver halide and an organic compound are formed. The product, however, is not an alkyl cyanide, as is the case when potassium cyanide is used, but an isomeric compound. The substances prepared from silver cyanide are called isocyanides, isonitriles, or carbylamines. The last name is given to them on account of the fact that they unite with acids and thus resemble the amines. The addition-products do not, however, resemble salts in their chemical properties. When hydrogen chloride is passed into an ethereal solution of methyl isocyanide, a compound of the formula 2CH3NC.3HCI is formed, which is decomposed when brought into contact with water. 

The preparation of 2-alkyl- and 2-acyl-l-methylimidazole-4-carboxylates from (Z)-y8-dimethylamino-o -isocyanoacrylate (21) with an alkyl or acyl halide bears similarities to the foregoing DAMN procedures (Scheme 2.1.8) 152, 53]. ITie isocyanoacrylates can be made quite readily by reaction of DMF diethylacetal with the carbanion generated when the isocyanide (22) is metallated f53J. 

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