Nitro reduction with

The investigation of nitro reduction with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene is especially interesting in two respects First, TNT is of environmental concern as one of the main contaminants at former military sites. Second, many questions about anaerobic nitro reduction and its implications can be elucidated with TNT as a model compound. Since the three nitro groups of the aromatic ring are sequentially reduced, the chemical properties of the molecule will change, thus causing different conditions for each subsequent reduction step. 

In a 500 ml. bolt-head flask, provided with a mechanical stirrer, place 70 ml. of oleum (20 per cent. SO3) and heat it in an oil bath to 70°. By means of a separatory funnel, supported so that the stem is just above the surface of the acid, introduce 41 g. (34 ml.) of nitrobenzene slowly and at such a rate that the temperature of the well-stirred mixture does not rise above 100-105°. When all the nitrobenzene has been introduced, continue the heating at 110-115° for 30 minutes. Remove a test portion and add it to the excess of water. If the odour of nitrobenzene is still apparent, add a further 10 ml. of fuming sulphuric acid, and heat at 110-115° for 15 minutes the reaction mixture should then be free from nitrobenzene. Allow the mixture to cool and pour it with good mechanical stirring on to 200 g. of finely-crushed ice contained in a beaker. AU the nitrobenzenesulphonic acid passes into solution if a little sulphone is present, remove this by filtration. Stir the solution mechanically and add 70 g. of sodium chloride in small portions the sodium salt of m-nitro-benzenesulphonic acid separates as a pasty mass. Continue the stirring for about 30 minutes, allow to stand overnight, filter and press the cake well. The latter will retain sufficient acid to render unnecessary the addition of acid in the subsequent reduction with iron. Spread upon filter paper to dry partially. 

As another example of nitrene formation, the reaction of o-nitrostilbene (96) with CO in the presence of SnCU affords 2-phenylindole (97). The reaction is explained by nitrene formation by deoxygenation of the nitro group with CO, followed by the addition of the nitrene to alkene. Similarly, the 2//-indazole derivative 99 was prepared by reductive cyclization of the A-(2-nitrobenzyli-dene)amine 98[89]. 

Analytical and Test Methods. o-Nitrotoluene can be analyzed for purity and isomer content by infrared spectroscopy with an accuracy of about 1%. -Nitrotoluene content can be estimated by the decomposition of the isomeric toluene diazonium chlorides because the ortho and meta isomers decompose more readily than the para isomer. A colorimetric method for determining the content of the various isomers is based on the color which forms when the mononitrotoluenes are dissolved in sulfuric acid (45). From the absorption of the sulfuric acid solution at 436 and 305 nm, the ortho and para isomer content can be deterrnined, and the meta isomer can be obtained by difference. However, this and other colorimetric methods are subject to possible interferences from other aromatic nitro compounds. A titrimetric method, based on the reduction of the nitro group with titanium(III) sulfate or chloride, can be used to determine mononitrotoluenes (32). Chromatographic methods, eg, gas chromatography or high pressure Hquid chromatography, are well suited for the deterrnination of mononitrotoluenes as well as its individual isomers. Freezing points are used commonly as indicators of purity of the various isomers. 

Zinin Reduction. The method of reducing aromatic nitro compounds with divalent sulfur is known as the Zinin reduction (57). This reaction can be carried out in a basic media using sulfides, polysulfides, or hydrosulfides as the reducing agent. These reactions can be represented as follows when the counter ion is sodium ... 

The Zinin reduction is also usehil for the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds to amines in the laboratory. It requires no special equipment, as is the case with catalytic hydrogenations, and is milder than reductions with iron and acid. Usually ammonium or alkah sulfides, hydrosulftdes or polysulftdes are used as the reactant with methanol or ethanol as the solvent. 

Electrolytic reductions generally caimot compete economically with chemical reductions of nitro compounds to amines, but they have been appHed in some specific reactions, such as the preparation of aminophenols (qv) from aromatic nitro compounds. For example, in the presence of sulfuric acid, cathodic reduction of aromatic nitro compounds with a free para-position leads to -aminophenol [123-30-8] hy rearrangement of the intermediate N-phenyl-hydroxylamine [100-65-2] (61). 

Neta.1 Ama.lga.ms. Alkali metal amalgams function in a manner similar to a mercury cathode in an electrochemical reaction (63). However, it is more difficult to control the reducing power of an amalgam. In the reduction of nitro compounds with an NH4(Hg) amalgam, a variety of products are possible. Aliphatic nitro compounds are reduced to the hydroxylamines, whereas aromatic nitro compounds can give amino, hydra2o, a2o, or a2oxy compounds. 

Arninobenzoyl-L-glutarnic acid (12) is obtained by condensation of -nitrobenzoyl chloride [122-04-3] (18) with L-glutamic acid [56-86-0] (19) under Schotten-Baumann conditions. This is followed by reduction of the nitro group with either sodium hydrogen sulfide (29) or by electrochemical methods (30). 

Later, a completely different and more convenient synthesis of riboflavin and analogues was developed (34). It consists of the nitrosative cyclization of 6-(A/-D-ribityl-3,4-xyhdino)uracil (18), obtained from the condensation of A/-D-ribityl-3,4-xyhdine (11) and 6-chlorouracil (19), with excess sodium nitrite in acetic acid, or the cyclization of (18) with potassium nitrate in acetic in the presence of sulfuric acid, to give riboflavin-5-oxide (20) in high yield. Reduction with sodium dithionite gives (1). In another synthesis, 5-nitro-6-(A/-D-ribityl-3,4-xyhdino) uracil (21), prepared in situ from the condensation of 6-chloro-5-nitrouracil (22) with A/-D-ribityl-3,4-xyhdine (11), was hydrogenated over palladium on charcoal in acetic acid. The filtrate included 5-amino-6-(A/-D-ribityl-3,4-xyhdino)uracil (23) and was maintained at room temperature to precipitate (1) by autoxidation (35). These two pathways are suitable for the preparation of riboflavin analogues possessing several substituents (Fig. 4). 

This compound can be converted to l,5-diamino-4,8-dihydroxyanthraquiaone by reduction of nitro groups with sodium sulfide. 

Hydroxyaminopyridazine 1-oxides are usually formed by catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding nitro derivatives over palladium-charcoal in methanol, provided that the reaction is stopped after absorption of two moles of hydrogen. 3-Hydroxyaminopyridazine 1-oxide and 6-amino-4-hydroxyamino-3-methoxypyridazine 1-oxide are prepared in this way, while 5-hydroxyamino-3-methylpyridazine 2-oxide and 5-hydroxyamino-6-methoxy-3-methylpyridazine 2-oxide are obtained by chemical reduction of the corresponding nitro compounds with phenylhydrazine. 

Pyrrole, 2-aeetyl-l-(2-hydroxyethyl)-5-nitro-cyelization, 4, 74 ipso substitution, 4, 243 Pyrrole, 2-aeetyl-l-methyl-dipole moment, 4, 194 photocyelization reaetions with 2,3-dimethylbut-2-ene, 4, 269 Pyrrole, 3-acetyl-4-methyl-Vilsmeier-Haaek formylation, 4, 222 Pyrrole, 2-aeetyl-3-nitro-reduction, 4, 297 Pyrrole, aeyl-basicity, 4, 207 isomerization, 4, 208 oximes... 

The nitro substituent is also preserved dunng fluoroester reduction with sodium borohydride [S3] (equation 67) Use of diborane itself allows reduction of nitrodifluoroacetanihde to the amine, Al-nitrodifluoroethylaniline [84] (equation 68)... 

Nitro-pJienols and Nitro-acids dissolve in ctiustic alkahs as a rule with a deep yellow or orange colour. On reduction with st. innous chloride or zinc dust, as described above, they yield the amino-derivatives. In the case of the amino-phenol, the solution is made alkaline with caustic soda, satuiated with CO.j, salt added and extracted w ith ether. In the case of the amino-acid, the method used is that desciibed under Prep. 91 (p. 201). 

Earlier, the reduction of y-nitro esters with zinc and ammonium chloride had been shownto provide a suitable route to A-hydroxy 2-pyiTolidones, e.g., 42. Various catalytic hydrogenation procedures can also effect the same reductive cyclization. ... 

Catalytic hydrogenation (Pd/C) of 2-chloro-3-nitro-l,5-naphthyridine (125, R = Cl) in methanolic solution afforded 3-amino-l,5-naphthyridine (126, R = H, 74%) isolated in the form of its trihydrochloride (40MI1). Similar Pd/C hydrogenation of 2-ethoxy-3-nitro-l,5-naphthyridine (125, R = OEt) gave 3-amino-2-ethoxy-l,5-naphthyridine (126, R = OEt, 47%) (80RTC83). Reduction with tin(II) chloride in hydrochloric acid also leads to 126, (R = OEt, 73%) (63RTC997). 

Subjecting 8-chloro-5-iiitro-l,7-iiaphthyridiiie (97) to reduction with tin(II) chloride leads, besides loss of the chloro atom and reduction of the nitro group, i.e., formation of 5-amino-l,7-naphthyridine (131, 22%), to the formation of small amounts of 5-amino-6,8-dichloro- (132, 1.5%) and 5-amino-6-(or 8-)chloro-l,7-naphthyridine (133, 2.5%) (88PJC305). 

The majority of analgesics can be classified as either central or peripheral on the basis of their mode of action. Structural characteristics usually follow the same divisions the former show some relation to the opioids while the latter can be recognized as NSAlD s. The triamino pyridine 17 is an analgesic which does not seem to belong stmcturally to either class. Reaction of substituted pyridine 13 (obtainable from 12 by nitration ) with benzylamine 14 leads to the product from replacement of the methoxyl group (15). The reaction probably proceeds by the addition elimination sequence characteristic of heterocyclic nucleophilic displacements. Reduction of the nitro group with Raney nickel gives triamine 16. Acylation of the product with ethyl chlorofor-mate produces flupirtine (17) [4]. 

Jdger and co-workers have prepared various amino sugars by the reduction of the con sponding fi-nitro alcohols with H-, and Pd/C, as exemplified in Eq 6 49 fsee Chapter 3 ... 

The Michael dclclidon of nitro ilkdnes to a,fi-unsdnirdted ketones gives Y-nitroketones, which re convetted into pyrroles by reduction of the nitro group with and PhSSPh fEq. 10.2. ... 

Starting with cuminal, nitro-cuminal was prepared, the nitro group entering the para position, meta to the aldehyde group. This compound - when treated with phosphorus pentachloride was converted into nitro-cymyline chloride, which on reduction with zinc and hydrochloric acid... 

Notable examples of general synthetic procedures in Volume 47 include the synthesis of aromatic aldehydes (from dichloro-methyl methyl ether), aliphatic aldehydes (from alkyl halides and trimethylamine oxide and by oxidation of alcohols using dimethyl sulfoxide, dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, and pyridinum trifluoro-acetate the latter method is particularly useful since the conditions are so mild), carbethoxycycloalkanones (from sodium hydride, diethyl carbonate, and the cycloalkanone), m-dialkylbenzenes (from the />-isomer by isomerization with hydrogen fluoride and boron trifluoride), and the deamination of amines (by conversion to the nitrosoamide and thermolysis to the ester). Other general methods are represented by the synthesis of 1 J-difluoroolefins (from sodium chlorodifluoroacetate, triphenyl phosphine, and an aldehyde or ketone), the nitration of aromatic rings (with ni-tronium tetrafluoroborate), the reductive methylation of aromatic nitro compounds (with formaldehyde and hydrogen), the synthesis of dialkyl ketones (from carboxylic acids and iron powder), and the preparation of 1-substituted cyclopropanols (from the condensation of a 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol derivative and ethyl-... 

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