Naphthylamins

Bucherer reaction Bucherer discovered that the interconversion of 2-naphthol and 2-naphthylamine through the action of alkali and ammonia could be facilitated if the reaction was carried out in the presence of (HSO3]" at about 150 C. This reaction is exceptional for the ease with which an aromatic C —OH bond is broken. It is not of general application, it is probable that the reaction depends upon the addition of [HSO3]" to the normally unstable keto-form of 2-naphthol, and subsequent displacement of —OH by —NH2. 

I-Naphthylamine readily diazotizes and couples to aromatic hydroxylic or basic compounds. It was thus used as a first component in a number of important monoazo dyes, but its use has been severely curtailed because of its potent carcinogenicity. It sulphonates to give naphthionic acid (l-naphthylamine-4-sul-phonic acid). 

A) PRIMARY AROMATIC AMINES. RNH. Aniline, o-, m-, and p-toluidine (and other nuclear-substitiited anilines) 1- and 2-naphthylamines. (For note on Aliphatic Amines, cf. p. 375 )... 

Physical properties. Majority are liquids except p toluidine and 1- and 2-naphthylamine. All are colourless when pure, but rapidly darken on exposure to air and light. All are very sparingly soluble in water, but dissolve readily in dilute mineral acids (except the naphthyl-amines, which are only moderately soluble in adds). They form colourless crystalline salts e.g., CjHjNH2,HCl) which are soluble in water these aqueous solutions usually have an add reaction owing to hydrolysis, and give the reactions of both the amine and the acid from which they are derived. Addition of alkali to the acid solution liberates the amine. 

Basic Component. The filtrate from (a), or the HCl extract from b), now contains the basic component in the form of its hydrochloride. Add 30% aqueous NaOH solution until alkaline to litmus. Cool, and scratch the sides of the vessel with a glass rod a white precipitate indicates a solid amine, e.g, p-toluidine or a naphthylamine. Dilute, filter off, wash well with water (recrystallise if necessary), dry and identify. 

Naphthylamine. Brown solution with a very slight pale blue fluorescence. 

In the naphthalene series, a-naphthylamine is easily obtained by the reduction of the readily accessible a-nitronaphthalene ... 

The amlnation reaction is reversible thus P-naphthylamine can be reconverted into p-naphthol by heating with aqueous sodium bisulphite solution, then adding alkali and boiling until all the ammonia is expelled. 

Thus good yields (> 60 per cent) are obtained with aniline and methyl, ethyl, n-propyl and n-butyl phosphates with a- and P-naphthylamine and methyl or ethyl phosphate nuclear substituted anilines and methyl or ethyl phosphate. 

Place a mixture of 25 g. of a-naphthylamine (Section IV,37) and 125 g. (69 -5 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid in a 250 ml. conical or round-bottomed flask, and heat in an oil bath for 4-5 hours or until a test sample, when made alkaline with sodium hydroxide solution and extracted with ether, yields no naphthylamine upon evaporation of the ether. Pour the warm reaction mixture cautiously and with stirring into 300 ml. of cold... 

Some amines, such as the nitroanilines and the naphthylamines, give somewhat more stable diazonium compounds and may be diazotised at room temperature, when the reaction proceeds more rapidly. If the amine salt is only sparingly soluble in water, it should be suspended in the acid in a fine state of division (this is generally attained by cooling a hot solution and stirring vigorously), and it passes into solution as the soluble diazonium salt is formed. 

The initial product, nitrosobenzene, is so easily reduced to p-phenylhydroxyl-amine that it has never been isolated in the free state, but its presence has been established by reaction in solution with hydroxylamine to 3deld a phenyldi-azonium salt, which couples readily with a a-naphthylamine to form the dyestuff phenyl-azo-a-naphthylamine (compare Section IV,77) ... 

Methylaniline Ethylaniline n-Propylaniline n-Butylaniline Benzylaniline 2 -MethyIbenzylamine N-Ethylbenzylamine 2 -Methyl o-toluidine N-Methyl m-toluidine 2 -MethyI p-toluidine N-Ethyl o-toIuidine N-Ethyl m-toIuidine 2S -Ethyl p-toluidine 2 -MethyI a-naphthylamine N-Methyl p-naphthylamine N-Phenyl- a-naphthylamine 2 -Phenyl-P-naphthylamine... 

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