Methoxide

Williamson s lethod, more particularly lor hydroxy- and thloT (mercapto) compounds. The substance is treated either directly with sodium or (more usually) with a solution of sodium methoxide in methanol, to give the sodium derivative. The latter is then boiled with methvl iodide. 

In general the method is more satisfactory with esters of aromatic acids than with esters of aliphatic acids. Esters of alcohols other than methyl and ethyl are best treated by first converting them into methyl esters thus Heat together under reflux i ml. of the higher ester, 5 ml. of methanol and 0-2 g. of sodium methoxide. [In place of the sodium methoxide, it suffices to add o i g. of metallic sodium to the methanol.] After refluxing, distil off the excess of methanol (b.p, 65 ). The residue is then heated under reflux with benzylamine as described above. 

The reaction (which is essentially the direct aminolysis of esters with benzylamine) proceeds readily when R is methyl or ethyl. Esters of higher alcohols should preferably be subjected to a preliminary methano-lysis by treatment with sodium methoxide in methanol ... 

The hydrazides are often crystalline and then serve as useful derivatives. Esters of higher alcohols should be converted first to the methyl esters by boiling with sodium methoxide in methanol (see under AT-benzylamides). 

The reaction is applicable to the preparation of amines from amides of aliphatic aromatic, aryl-aliphatic and heterocyclic acids. A further example is given in Section IV,170 in connexion with the preparation of anthranilic acid from phthal-imide. It may be mentioned that for aliphatic monoamides containing more than eight carbon atoms aqueous alkaline hypohalite gives poor yields of the amines. Good results are obtained by treatment of the amide (C > 8) in methanol with sodium methoxide and bromine, followed by hydrolysis of the resulting N-alkyl methyl carbamate ... 

RCH=N—ONa and R R C=N—ONa) which may be filtered off and washed with methanol to remove traces of sodium methoxide. It should be kept moist with methanol the sodium derivative, if allowed to dry, may become very explosive. Also, upon contact with a trace of water, it is liable to decompose with explosive violence. The sodium derivative may be dissolved by successively adding small quantities to cold water with continual stirring. 

Perbenzoic acid. Treatment of a cold sodium methoxide solution with a solution of pure benzoyl peroxide in chloroform affords methyl benzoate and a solution of the sodium salt of perbenzoic acid ... 

The m.p. is not always a safe criterion of purity. Benzoyl peroxide may be analysed as follows -. Dissolve about 0-6 g., accurately weighed, of benzoyl peroxide in Is ml. of chloroform in a 350 ml. conical flask. Cool to — 5°, and add 25 ml. of 0- IN sodium methoxide solution at once with cooling and shaking. After 5 minutes at — 5°, add 100 ml. of iced water, 5 ml. of 10 per cent, sulphuric acid, and 2 g. of potassium iodide in 20 ml. of 10 per cent, sulphuric acid in the order mentioned with vigorous stirring. Titrate the liberated iodine with standard 0-lN sodium thiosulphate solution. 

By increasing the molar proportion of the monocarboxylic acid, the yield of (II) is improved. Thus electrolysis of a mixture of decanoic acid (n-decoic acid capric acid) (V) (2 mols) and methyl hydrogen adipate (VI) (1 mol) in anhydrous methanol in the presence of a little sodium methoxide gives, after hydrolysis of the esters formed, n-octadecane (VII), tetradecanoic or myristic acid (VIH) and sebacic acid (IX) ... 

Ninhydrin (also named 1 2 3-triketoindane or 1 2 3-triketohydrindene hydrate) is prepared most simply from the inexpensive phthahc anhydride (I). The latter is condensed with acetic anhydride In the presence of potassium acetate to give phthalylacetlc acid (II) reaction of the latter with sodium methoxide in methanol yields 1 3-indanedionecarboxyhc acid, which is decomposed upon warming with dilute hydrochloric or sulphuric acid to indane-1 3-dione (or 1 3-diketohydrindene) (HI). Selenium dioxide oxidation of (III) afibrds indane-1 2 3-trione hydrate (ninhydrin) (IV). 

Indane-1 3-dione (1 3-diketohydrindene). Method A. To a solution of sodium methoxide, prepared from 6 1 g. of sodium and 200 ml. of anhydrous methanol, add 15 g. of phthalylacetic acid and allow to stand for 1 hour at room temperature collect the yellow precipitate by suction filtration. Mix the yellow solid with 150 ml. of 10 per cent, sulphuric acid, heat on a steam bath until no more carbon dioxide is evolved (15-20 minutes), filter the hot solution and allow to cool. Collect the yellow crystals by filtration at the pump, wash with a httle water and dry at 100°. The yield of crude 1 3-indanedione, m.p. 125-126°, is 7 g. RecrystaUise from hght petroleum, b.p. 80-100°, and thus obtain the pure product, m.p. 129-130°. 

Phenylethylbarbituric acid (also termed luminal and phenobarbitone) may be prepared by condensing ethyl phenyletUylmalonate with urea in the presence of sodium methoxide ... 

It is conveniently prepared in the laboratory by the interaction of sulphanil-amide and guanidine (from guanidine nitrate and sodium methoxide solution) the resulting guanidine salt of sulphanilamlde decomposes upon heating at 150-160° into sulphaguanidine and ammonia ... 

What product would you get from dus and sodium methoxide in methanol ... 

The formation of the above anions ("enolate type) depend on equilibria between the carbon compounds, the base, and the solvent. To ensure a substantial concentration of the anionic synthons in solution the pA" of both the conjugated acid of the base and of the solvent must be higher than the pAT -value of the carbon compound. Alkali hydroxides in water (p/T, 16), alkoxides in the corresponding alcohols (pAT, 20), sodium amide in liquid ammonia (pATj 35), dimsyl sodium in dimethyl sulfoxide (pAT, = 35), sodium hydride, lithium amides, or lithium alkyls in ether or hydrocarbon solvents (pAT, > 40) are common combinations used in synthesis. Sometimes the bases (e.g. methoxides, amides, lithium alkyls) react as nucleophiles, in other words they do not abstract a proton, but their anion undergoes addition and substitution reactions with the carbon compound. If such is the case, sterically hindered bases are employed. A few examples are given below (H.O. House, 1972 I. Kuwajima, 1976). 

Cis-olefins or cis./rjns-dienes can be obtained from alkynes in similar reaction sequences. The alkyne is first hydroborated and then treated with alkaline iodine. If the other substituents on boron are alkyl groups, a cis-olefin is formed (G. Zweifel, 1967). If they are cir-alkenyls, a cis, trans-diene results. The reactions are thought to be iodine-assisted migrations of the cis-alkenyl group followed by (rans-deiodoboronation (G. Zweifel, 1968). Trans, trans-dienes are made from haloalkynes and alkynes. These compounds are added one after the other to thexylborane. The alkenyl(l-haloalkenyl)thexylboranes are converted with sodium methoxide into trans, trans-dienes (E. Negishi, 1973). The thexyl group does not migrate. 

We shall describe a specific synthetic example for each protective group given above. Regiosdective proteaion is generally only possible if there are hydroxyl groups of different sterical hindrance (prim < sec < tert equatorial < axial). Acetylation has usually been effected with acetic anhydride. The acetylation of less reactive hydroxyl groups is catalyzed by DMAP (see p.l44f.). Acetates are stable toward oxidation with chromium trioxide in pyridine and have been used, for example, for protection of steroids (H.J.E. Loewenthal, 1959), carbohydrates (M.L. Wolfrom, 1963 J.M. Williams, 1967), and nucleosides (A.M. Micbelson, 1963). The most common deacetylation procedures are ammonolysis with NH in CH OH and methanolysis with KjCO, or sodium methoxide. 

Tin enolates of ketones can be generated by the reaction of the enol acetate 733 with tributyltin methoxide[60i] and they react with alkenyl halides via transmetallation to give 734. This reaction offers a useful method for the introduction of an aryl or alkenyl group at the o-carbon of ketones[602]. Tin enolates are also generated by the reaction of siiyl enol ethers with tributyltin fluoride and used for coupling with halides[603]. 

Another method for the hydrogenoiysis of aryl bromides and iodides is to use MeONa[696], The removal of chlorine and bromine from benzene rings is possible with MeOH under basic conditions by use of dippp as a ligand[697]. The reduction is explained by the formation of the phenylpalladium methoxide 812, which undergoes elimination of /i-hydrogen to form benzene, and MeOH is oxidized to formaldehyde. Based on this mechanistic consideration, reaction of alcohols with aryl halides has another application. For example, cyclohex-anol (813) is oxidized smoothly to cyclohexanone with bromobenzene under basic conditions[698]. 

Silyl enol ethers are other ketone or aldehyde enolate equivalents and react with allyl carbonate to give allyl ketones or aldehydes 13,300. The transme-tallation of the 7r-allylpalladium methoxide, formed from allyl alkyl carbonate, with the silyl enol ether 464 forms the palladium enolate 465, which undergoes reductive elimination to afford the allyl ketone or aldehyde 466. For this reaction, neither fluoride anion nor a Lewis acid is necessary for the activation of silyl enol ethers. The reaction also proceed.s with metallic Pd supported on silica by a special method[301j. The ketene silyl acetal 467 derived from esters or lactones also reacts with allyl carbonates, affording allylated esters or lactones by using dppe as a ligand[302]... 

Another preparative method for the enone 554 is the reaction of the enol acetate 553 with allyl methyl carbonate using a bimetallic catalyst of Pd and Tin methoxide[354,358]. The enone formation is competitive with the allylation reaction (see Section 2.4.1). MeCN as a solvent and a low Pd to ligand ratio favor enone formation. Two regioisomeric steroidal dienones, 558 and 559, are prepared regioselectively from the respective dienol acetates 556 and 557 formed from the steroidal a, /3-unsaturated ketone 555. Enone formation from both silyl enol ethers and enol acetates proceeds via 7r-allylpalladium enolates as common intermediates. 

The slow oxidation of primary alcohols, particularly MeOH, is utilized for the oxidation of allylic or secondary alcohols with allyl methyl carbonate without forming carbonates of the alcohols to be oxidized. Allyl methyl carbonate (564) forms 7r-allylpalladium methoxide, then exchange of the methoxide with a secondary or allylic alcohol 563 present in the reaction medium takes place to form the 7r-allylpalladium alkoxide 565, which undergoes elimination of j3-hydrogen to give the ketone or aldehyde 566. The lactol 567 was oxidized selectively with diallyl carbonate to the lactone 568 without attacking the secondary alcohol in the synthesis of echinosporin[360]. 

Among several propargylic derivatives, the propargylic carbonates 3 were found to be the most reactive and they have been used most extensively because of their high reactivity[2,2a]. The allenylpalladium methoxide 4, formed as an intermediate in catalytic reactions of the methyl propargylic carbonate 3, undergoes two types of transformations. One is substitution of cr-bonded Pd. which proceeds by either insertion or transmetallation. The insertion of an alkene, for example, into the Pd—C cr-bond and elimination of/i-hydrogen affords the allenyl compound 5 (1.2,4-triene). Alkene and CO insertions are typical. The substitution of Pd methoxide with hard carbon nucleophiles or terminal alkynes in the presence of Cul takes place via transmetallation to yield the allenyl compound 6. By these reactions, various allenyl derivatives can be prepared. 

The alka-l,2,4-trienes (ailenylaikenes) 12 are prepared by the reaction of methyl propargyl carbonates with alkenes. Alkene insertion takes place into the Pd—C bond of the ailenyipailadium methoxide 4 as an intermediate and subsequent elimination of/3-hydrogen affords the 1,2,4-triene 12. The reaction proceeds rapidly under mild conditions in the presence of KBr. No reaction takes place in the absence of an alkali metal salt[4j. 

Terminal alkynes react with propargylic carbonates at room temperature to afford the alka-l, 2-dien-4-yne 14 (allenylalkyne) in good yield with catalysis by Pd(0) and Cul[5], The reaction can be explained by the transmetallation of the (7-allenylpailadium methoxide 4 with copper acetylides to form the allenyKalk-ynyl)palladium 13, which undergoes reductive elimination to form the allenyl alkyne 14. In addition to propargylic carbonates, propargylic chlorides and acetates (in the presence of ZnCb) also react with terminal alkynes to afford allenylalkynes[6], Allenylalkynes are prepared by the reaction of the alkynyl-oxiranes 15 with zinc acetylides[7]. 

Organoboranes react with propargylic carbonates. Usually, addition of a base is essential for the Pd-catalyzed reactions of organoboranes, but the reaction with propargylic carbonates proceeds without addition of the base, because methoxide is generated in situ from carbonates. For example, the 1,2,4-triene 80 is prepared by the reaction of alkenylborane under neutral conditions[36]. 

A solution of sodium methoxide (25% w, 115 ml, 532 mmol) in methanol (187 ml) was cooled to — 8 "C under nitrogen. A solution of 2,4,5-trimethoxy-benzaldehyde (25 g, 128 mmol) and methyl azidoacetate (59 g, 513 mmol) in a 1 2 mixture of methanol-THF (50 ml 4- 100ml) was added dropwisc to the sodium methoxide solution with stirring at — 8°C over a period of 45 min. The solution was stirred and kept below 5°C for 2 h. The mixture was then poured onto ice (1 kg) and stirred. The precipitate which resulted was collected by filtration, washed with water and dried over CaCl in a vacuum desiccator. The dried precipitate was dissolved in EtOAc (600 ml) and dried over Na2S04. 

Charge diagrams suggest that the 2-amino-5-halothiazoles are less sensitive to nucleophilic attack on 5-position than their thiazole counterpart. Recent kinetic data on this reactivity however, show, that this expectation is not fulfilled (67) the ratio fc.. bron.c.-2-am.noih.azoie/ -biomoth.azoie O"" (reaction with sodium methoxide) emphasizes the very unusual amino activation to nucleophilic substitution. The reason of this activation could lie in the protomeric equilibrium, the reactive species being either under protomeric form 2 or 3 (General Introduction to Protomeric Thiazoles). The reactivity of halothiazoles should, however, be reinvestigated under the point of view of the mechanism (1690). 

The reaction of MeO /MeOH with 2-Cl-5(4)-X-thiazoles (122) follows a second-order kinetic law, first order with respect to each reactant (Scheme 62) (297, 301). A remark can be made about the reactivity of the dichloro derivatives it has been pointed out that for reactions with sodium methoxide, the sequence 5>2>4 was observed for monochlorothiazole compounds (302), For 2.5-dichlorothiazole, on the contrary, the experimental data show that the 2-methoxy dehalogenation is always favored. This fact has been related to the different activation due to a substituent effect, less important from position 2 to 5 than from... 

Furthermore, in cases of 2,4-dichloro- or 2.5-dichlorothiazole, halogen in position 4 or 5 can also be partially displaced using more than one equivalent of methoxide ion. 

Electron-deficient alkenes add stereospecifically to 4-hydroxy-THISs with formation of endo-cycloadducts. Only with methylvinyl-ketone considerable amounts of the exo isomer are produced (Scheme 8) (16). The adducts (6) may extrude hydrogen sulfide on heating with methoxide producing 2-pyridones. The base is unnecessary with fumaronitrile adducts. The alternative elimination of isocyanate Or sulfur may be controlled using 7 as the dipolarenOphile. The cycloaddition produces two products, 8a (R = H, R = COOMe) and 8b (R = COOMe, R =H) (Scheme 9) (17). Pyrolysis of 8b leads to extrusion of furan and isocyanate to give a thiophene. The alternative S-elimi-nation can be effected by oxidation of the adduct and subsequent pyrolysis. 

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