Mitsunobu reaction, alkylation esterification

Transesterification under strongly basic reaction conditions has been used to acy-late support-bound alcohols with alkyl esters (Entry 10, Table 13.12). For sensitive acids, the Mitsunobu reaction is a particularly mild method of esterification. This reaction gives high yields with support-bound primary aliphatic alcohols and proceeds under essentially neutral reaction conditions (Experimental Procedure 13.4). Mitsunobu esterification of PEG with /V-Fmoc amino acids has also been reported [172]. 

The O-alkylation of carboxylates is a useful alternative to the acid-catalyzed esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols. Carboxylates are weak, hard nucleophiles which are alkylated quickly by carbocations and by highly reactive, carbocation-like electrophiles (e.g. trityl or some benzhydryl halides). Suitable procedures include treatment of carboxylic acids with alcohols under the conditions of the Mitsunobu reaction [122], or with diazoalkanes. With soft electrophiles, such as alkyl iodides, alkylation of carboxylic acid salts proceeds more slowly, but in polar aprotic solvents, such as DMF, or with non-coordinating cations acceptable rates can still be achieved. Alkylating agents with a high tendency to O-alkylate carboxylates include a-halo ketones [42], dimethyl sulfate [100,123], and benzyl halides (Scheme 6.31). 

Inversion of configuration (cf Epimerization) of alcohols (Mitsunobu reaction), 160-161, 286 of ally lie acetates with Pd, 27, 164 of allylpalladium with d-synthons, 27, 264 of alkyl halides or sulfonates by 1,3-dithiane anions, 22 by organylcuprates, 36 by tetracarbonylferrate<2 -X 46-47 in triorganylborane rearr., 37-38 of glycosides with free 2-OH by DAST, 272 of glycosyl halides, 271 of oxiranes by 1-alkync anions, 64, 204 by enolate type anions, 63-64 by internal alcoholate addition, 265 Inversion-esterification of alcohols, 160-161, 286 Inverted DNA , 345-346 Iodide, hydrogen porphyrin synthesis with, 255 Iodine = diiodine (Ij) ... 

This reaction was first reported by Mitsunobu in 1967. It is the alkylation of compounds with active protons by using primary or secondary alcohols as the alkylating agents in combination with triphenylphosphine and diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) or diisopropyl azodicarboxylate (DIAD), to form molecules like esters, ethers, thioethers, and amines. Therefore, this reaction is generally known as the Mitsunobu reaction or Mitsunobu coupling. In addition, the specific reaction for forming esters by means of DEAD (or DIAD) and PPhs is generally referred to as the Mitsunobu esterification." Occasionally, the Mitsunobu reaction is also called the Mitsunobu transformation (for the conversion of alcohol into amines) or Mitsunobu cyclizafion (for the formation of cyclic compounds). Because of its intrinsic features of stereospecificity, as well as its occurrence in neutral media and at room temperature without a prerequisite activation of alcohol, this reaction has been extensively studied and used to synthesize a variety of compounds since 1970. 

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