Nitriles, preparation from sulfonate esters

Trialkylboranes react rapidly and in high yields with a-halo ketones,a-halo esters, a-halo nitriles, and a-halo sulfonyl derivatives (sulfones, sulfonic esters, sulfonamides) in the presence of a base to give, respectively, alkylated ketones, esters, nitriles, and sulfonyl derivatives. Potassium tert-butoxide is often a suitable base, but potassium 2,6-di-tert-butylphenoxide at 0°C in THF gives better results in most cases, possibly because the large bulk of the two tert-buXy groups prevents the base from coordinating with the R3B. The trialkylboranes are prepared by treatment of 3 mol of an alkene with 1 mol of BH3 (15-16). With appropriate boranes, the R group transferred to a-halo ketones, nitriles, and esters can be vinylic, or (for a-halo ketones and esters) aryl. " °... 

From a historical perspective, the a-(dialkylamino)nitrile anions were the first acyl anion equivalents to undergo systematic investigation. More recent studies indicate that anions of a-(dialkylamino)nitriles derived from aliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic aldehydes intercept an array of electrophiles including alkyl halides, alkyl sulfonates, epoxides, aldehydes, ketones, acyl chlorides, chloroformates, unsaturated ketones, unsaturated esters and unsaturated nitriles. Aminonitriles are readily prepared and their anions are formed with a variety of bases such as sodium methoxide, KOH in alcohol, NaH, LDA, PhLi, sodium amide, 70% NaOH and potassium amide. Regeneration of the carbonyl group can be achieved... 

Other Applications. Hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid [2950-43-8] h.2is many applications in the area of organic synthesis. The use of this material for organic transformations has been thoroughly reviewed (125,126). The preparation of the acid involves the reaction of hydroxjlamine [5470-11-1] with oleum in the presence of ammonium sulfate [7783-20-2] (127). The acid has found appHcation in the preparation of hydra2ines from amines, aUphatic amines from activated methylene compounds, aromatic amines from activated aromatic compounds, amides from esters, and oximes. It is also an important reagent in reductive deamination and specialty nitrile production. 

DSM jointly with Du Pont de Nemours308 have patented platinum catalysts generated from the water soluble sulfonated ligand 30 (Table 2 m=0, n=0, m=l, n=2 m=l, n=l, Ar=nBu-S03Li) and used in the aqueous phase hydroformylation of internally unsaturated carboxylic acids, esters or nitriles to their corresponding formyl derivatives which are useful intermediates for the preparation of di-carboxylic acids (e.g. adipic acid). For example, TOFs up to 105 h-1 were achieved in the hydroformylation of 3-pentenoic acid catalysed by Pt/30 (m=0, n=0) at 100°C and 80 bar CO/H2 to give aldehydes with a selectivity of 83% (n/i=3.4), valeric acid (4.6%) and adipic acid (8.1%).308 The products were separated from the aqueous catalyst solution by extraction with ether. Five recycles of the aqueous catalyst solution showed that the Pt/30 (m=0, n=0) catalyst retains its activity. 

Various sulfuric and phosphoric acid esters have sometimes been used instead of alcohols as starting materials for the preparation of nitriles. Of more general importance are sulfonates, particularly from methane- or p-toluene-sulfonic acid, which react in an 5N2-type substitution with cyanide ions. The most common starting materials are, as described in Section 1.8.1.2.1, alkyl halides, and if their preparation creates problems, the use of sulfonates may be advantageous. The addition of crown ethers or the... 

Sulfonyl halides (e.g. benzenesulfonyl chloride) form adducts (11) with acid amides in an equilibrium reaction. From these adducts or via adducts of this type 0-sulfonated lactim ethers, isonitriles, adenine, nitriles, amidines, amidinium salts and formic acid esters were prepared. The adducts from DMF and chlorosulfonamides (12) can be used to prepare amidines or amidrazones. A/-Chlorosulfonylcarboxylic acid amides yield nitriles on treatment with DMF or other tertiary amides, presumably via an acid amide sulfonyl chloride complex (13 equation 3). ... 

These compounds are prepared starting from chloroace-tic acid or its ethyl ester. For chains longer than acetic, cya-noethylation and hydrolysis of the nitrile obtained leads to the propionic chain, alkylation with ethyl 4-bromobutyrate and saponification leads to the butyric chain. The propane-sulfonic chains are particularly accessible by means of ring opening of propane-sultone. 

Muniz and co-workers prepared a series of substituted indoles (e.g., 76) using a modified Koser reagent that was made from iodosobenzene and 2,4,5-tris-isopropylbenzene sulfonic acid (77, TIPBSA). The hypervalent iodine reagent was used either stoichiometrically or in catalytic amounts with mCPBA as the terminal oxidant. A variety of N-protecting groups were tolerated and substituents on the aryl ring of 75 include halogens, carbonyls (aldehydes, ketones, esters), alkynes, and nitriles (HAG(I)7349). 

This chapter will discuss methods for the preparation of esters, acid chlorides, anhydrides, and amides from carboxylic acids, based on acyl substitution reactions. Acyl substitution reactions of carboxylic acid derivatives will include hydrolysis, interconversion of one acid derivative into another, and reactions with strong nucleophiles such as organometallic reagents. In addition, the chemistry of dicarboxylic acid derivatives will be discussed, as well as cyclic esters, amides, and anhydrides. Sulfonic acid derivatives will be introduced as well as sulfate esters and phosphate esters. Finally, nitriles will be shown to be acid derivatives by virtue of their reactivity. 

Carbon acids such as nitro compounds, nitriles, ketones, anhydrides, esters, and sulfones are also capable of protonating and thereby cleaving these bases with ultimate formation of new carbon-carbon bonds . As expected from equation (6), and as su ested by the variation in reaction conditions used for preparing 88 to 42, ease of reaction diminishes with decreasing substrate acidity. Whereas... 

Acetylenic sulfones are reactive dipolarophiles. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition with nitrile oxide gave ester-linked isoxazoles (Scheme 11.47). However, the cycloadducts were cleaved from the resin with the sulfone moiety under alkaline hydrolysis. The method was applied later to the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction to prepare a wide selection of heterocycles, such as pyrroles, pyrazoles, 1,2,3-triazoles, and isoxazoles. " ... 

---