Unsymmetrical ketones

Cyclohexyl ethyl ether [TMSI-catalyzed ketone-unsymmetrical ether reduction], 124... 

Octahydroacridine units must be oxidatively functionalized at carbon atoms 4 and 5 in order to build up the fused-ring backbone of torand 1. The key pyridine-forming reactions (steps 6 and 11 in Scheme 6.1) both involve the condensation of a ketone with an a,p-unsaturated ketone. Unsymmetrically functionalized octahydroacridine derivatives are required so that each unit can be fused to a new pyridine ring first at one end and then at the other. The benzylidene groups serve as latent carbonyl groups that can be unmasked by ozonolysis. Step 2 introduces both a C-O bond at C4 and a benzylidene group at C5 in a convenient, one-pot reaction sequence. Scheme 6.3 shows the intermediates involved in this sequence converting 6 to 7. 

Under the conditions used for the generation of silyl enol ethers of symmetrical ketones, unsymmetrical ketones give mixtures of structurally isomeric enol ethers, with the predominant product being the more substituted enol ether (eq 20). Highly hindered bases, such as lithium diisopropylamide (LDA), favor formation of the kinetic, less substituted silyl enol ether, whereas bro-momagnesium diisopropylamide (BMDA) generates the more substituted, thermodynamic silyl enol ether. A comhination of TMSCl/sodium iodide has also been used to form silyl enol ethers of simple aldehydes and ketones as well as from a,p-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones. Additionally, treatment of a-halo ketones with zinc, TMSCl, and TMEDA in ether provides... 

The dibenzyl ketone has a very high b.p. (ca. 200°/21 mm.) and this remains in the flask when the unsymmetrical ketone has been removed by distillation. The dialkyl ketone has a comparatively low b.p. and is therefore easily removed by fractionation under normal pressure acetone is most simply separated by washing with water. In this way methyl benzyl ketone (R = CHj), ethyl benzyl ketone (R = CHgCH,) and n-propyl benzyl ketone (R = CHjCHjCH,) are prepared. By using hydrocinnamic acid in place of phenylacetic acid ... 

Asymmetric Reduction of Unsymmetrical Ketones Using Chiral Boron Reagents Review Synthesis 1992, 605. 

There also exists an acidregioselective condensation of the aldol type, namely the Mannich reaction (B. Reichert, 1959 H. Hellmann, 1960 see also p. 291f.). The condensation of secondary amines with aldehydes yields Immonium salts, which react with ketones to give 3-amino ketones (=Mannich bases). Ketones with two enolizable CHj-groupings may form 1,5-diamino-3-pentanones, but monosubstitution products can always be obtained in high yield. Unsymmetrical ketones react preferentially at the most highly substituted carbon atom. Sterical hindrance can reverse this regioselectivity. Thermal elimination of amines leads to the a,)3-unsaturated ketone. Another efficient pathway to vinyl ketones starts with the addition of terminal alkynes to immonium salts. On mercury(ll) catalyzed hydration the product is converted to the Mannich base (H. Smith, 1964). 

If a Michael reaction uses an unsymmetrical ketone with two CH-groups of similar acidity, the enol or enolate is first prepared in pure form (p. llff.). To avoid equilibration one has to work at low temperatures. The reaction may then become slow, and it is advisable to further activate the carbon-carbon double bond. This may be achieved by the introduction of an extra electron-withdrawing silyl substituent at C-2 of an a -synthon. Treatment of the Michael adduct with base removes the silicon, and may lead as well to an aldol addition (G. Stork, 1973, 1974 B R.K. Boeckman, Jr., 1974). 

Out first example is 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-octanone. 3-Octanone can be purchased, but it would be difficult to differentiate the two activated methylene groups in alkylation and oxidation reactions. Usual syntheses of acyloins are based upon addition of terminal alkynes to ketones (disconnection 1 see p. 52). For syntheses of unsymmetrical 1,2-difunctional compounds it is often advisable to look also for reactive starting materials, which do already contain the right substitution pattern. In the present case it turns out that 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone is an inexpensive commercial product. This molecule dictates disconnection 3. Another practical synthesis starts with acetone cyanohydrin and pentylmagnesium bromide (disconnection 2). Many 1,2-difunctional compounds are accessible via oxidation of C—C multiple bonds. In this case the target molecule may be obtained by simple permanganate oxidation of 2-methyl-2-octene, which may be synthesized by Wittig reaction (disconnection 1). 

Both chlorines of 1,1-dichloroethylene (340) react stepwise with different terminal alkynes to form the unsymmetrical enediyne 341 [250]. The coupling of the dichloroimine 342 with tin acetylide followed by hydrolysis affords the dialkynyl ketone 343[2511. The phenylthioimidoyl chloride 344 undergoes stepwise reactions with two different tin acetylides to give the dialkynylimine 345[252],... 

The aryl- and heteroarylfluorosilanes 541 can be used for the preparation of the unsymmetrical ketones 542[400], Carbonylation of aryl triflate with the siloxycyclopropane 543 affords the 7-keto ester 545. In this reaction, transme-tallation of the siloxycyclopropane 543 with acylpalladium and ring opening generate Pd homoenolate as an intermediate 544 without undergoing elimination of/3-hydrogen[401],... 

The Fischer cyclization has proved to be a very versatile reaction which can tolerate a variety of substituents at the 2- and 3-positions and on the aromatic ring. An extensive review and compilation of examples was published several years ago[3]. From a practical point of view, the crucial reaction parameter is often the choice of the appropriate reaction medium. For hydrazones of unsymmetrical ketones, which can lead to two regioisomeric products, the choice of reaction conditions may determine the product composition. 

The issue of regioselectivity arises with arylhydrazones of unsymmetrical ketones which can form two different enehydrazine intermediates. Under the conditions used most commonly for Fischer cyclizations, e g. ethanolic HCI, the major product is usually the one arising from the more highly substituted enehydrazine. Thus methyl ketones usually give 2-methy indoles and cycliz-ation occurs in a branched chain in preference to a straight chain. This regioselectivity is attributed to the greater stability of the more substituted enhydrazine and its dominance of the reaction path. 

A mixture of methanesulfonic acid and P Oj used either neat or diluted with sulfolane or CH2CI2 is a strongly acidic system. It has been used to control the rcgiosclcctivity in cydization of unsymmetrical ketones. Use of the neal reagent favours reaction into the less substituted branch whereas diluted solutions favour the more substituted branch[3]. 

With unsymmetrical ketones enolization may occur in either of two directions OH O OH... 

The stmcture of the ketones produced from unsymmetrical internal perfluoroepoxides has been reported (5). The epoxide ring may also be opened by strong protic acids such as fluorosulfonic acid or hydrogen fluoride at elevated temperatures (23—25). The ring opening of HFPO by sulfur trioxide at 150°C has been interpreted as an example of an electrophilic reaction (26) (eq. 3). 

R = cyl), eg, with -nitrobenzoyl chloride. Upon reaction with lead tetraacetate, di(hydroperoxyalkyl) peroxides can also be converted to cycHc diperoxides (4). They are also converted to symmetrical or unsymmetrical cycHc triperoxides (5) in the presence of a second ketone and a catalyst, eg, CuSO -HCl (44,119). 

In the ketone method, the central carbon atom is derived from phosgene (qv). A diarylketone is prepared from phosgene and a tertiary arylamine and then condenses with another mole of a tertiary arylamine (same or different) in the presence of phosphoms oxychloride or zinc chloride. The dye is produced directly without an oxidation step. Thus, ethyl violet [2390-59-2] Cl Basic Violet 4 (15), is prepared from 4,4 -bis(diethylamino)benzophenone with diethylaruline in the presence of phosphoms oxychloride. This reaction is very useful for the preparation of unsymmetrical dyes. Condensation of 4,4 -bis(dimethylamino)benzophenone [90-94-8] (Michler s ketone) with AJ-phenjl-l-naphthylamine gives the Victoria Blue B [2580-56-5] Cl Basic Blue 26, which is used for coloring paper and producing ballpoint pen pastes and inks. 

The idea of kinetic versus thermodynamic control can be illustrated by discussing briefly the case of formation of enolate anions from unsymmetrical ketones. This is a very important matter for synthesis and will be discussed more fully in Chapter 1 of Part B. Most ketones, highly symmetric ones being the exception, can give rise to more than one enolate. Many studies have shown tiiat the ratio among the possible enolates that are formed depends on the reaction conditions. This can be illustrated for the case of 3-methyl-2-butanone. If the base chosen is a strong, sterically hindered one and the solvent is aptotic, the major enolate formed is 3. If a protic solvent is used or if a weaker base (one comparable in basicity to the ketone enolate) is used, the dominant enolate is 2. Enolate 3 is the kinetic enolate whereas 2 is the thermodynamically favored enolate. 

Nelson and Scliut investigated the reaction of 5a-cholestanone (lb) with diazomethane in a search for a direct, one-step preparation of A-homo ketones. Using a large excess of diazomethane generated in situ from A-methyl-nitrosourea with potassium hydroxide in ether-methanol at 0°, 5a-cholestanone (lb) is converted into the 7-membered ring homolog (3b) as the predominant product. Both theoretically possible A-homo ketones can be expected with an unsymmetrically-substituted cyclohexanone such as 5a-cholestanone (lb). 

Tn general. Nelson and Schut s procedure is recommended for expansion of an unsymmetrically substituted cyclohexanone (for example, the A ring of a steroid 3-ketone). The yield is satisfactory in most instances and the precursors are readily available. However, the relative proportions of the two possible ketones may change as substituents are varied. The procedure is applicable to systems with additional ketones protected as ketals, double bonds, ethers and hydroxyl groups. 

The haloform reaction of unsymmetrical perfluoroalkyl and co-hydroper-fluoroalkyl trifluororaethyl ketones gives the alkane corresponding to the longer alkyl chain [54] (equation 53) If the methyl group contains chlorine, the reaction can take different pathways, leading to loss of chlorine (equation 54), because of the variable stability of the chlorine-substituted methyl carbanions in alkali. 

The general rule has been formulated (P) that the less substituted enamine is formed from unsymmetrical ketones such as the 2-alkylcyclohexanones. In enamine 21 the R, group and the N-alkyl groups would interfere with one another if overlap is to be maintained between the nitrogen unshared electrons and the double bond. There would be less repulsion if the isomeric enamine (22) were formed. 2-Phenylcyclohexanone and pyrrolidine with p-toluenesulfonic acid as catalyst in refluxing benzene gave enamine... 

The magnitude of the preference for the formation of the less substituted enamine from unsymmetrical ketones as expressed by the general rule given above is not entirely clear. House and Schellenbaum 48) have reported that 2-methylcyclohexanone and pyrrolidine produce a product mixture of tetra- and trisubstituted enamines in a ratio of 15 85. The estimate of this ratio was made from NMR data. In contrast Stork and co-workers (9) report the formation of 100% trisubstituted enamine as determined by NMR spectroscopy. 

Reaction of unsymmetrical ketones with strong bases may lead to two different enolates. Whether the eventual product derives from the more stable ( thermodynamie ) enolate, or from the more rapidly formed ( kinetie ) enolate, depends on reaetion conditions. 

We have previously discussed that keto-aldehydes react with anilines first at the aldehyde carbon to form the aldimine. Subsequent condensation with another aniline formed a bis-imine or enamino-imine. The aniline of the ketimine normally cyclizes on the aldimine (24 —> 26). Conversely, cyclization of the aldimine could be forced with minimal aniline migration to the ketimine using PPA (30 —> 31). The use of unsymmetrical ketones has not been thoroughly explored a few examples are cited below. One-pot enamine formation and cyclization occurred when aniline 48 was reacted with dione 49 in the presence of catalytic p-TsOH and heat. Imine formation occurred at the less-hindered ketone, and cyclization with attack on the reactive carbonyl was preferred. ... 

With unsymmetrical ketones, having hydrogens at both a-carbons, a mixture of products can be formed. In general such ketones react preferentially at the less substituted side, to give the less sterically hindered product. 

By using the directed aldol reaction, unsymmetrical ketones can be made to react regioselectively. After conversion into an appropriate enol derivative (e.g. trimethylsilyl enol ether 8) the ketone reacts at the desired a-carbon. 

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