Nitroalkanes, preparation

Higher nitroalkanes are prepared from lower primary nitroalkanes by a one-pot synthesis (69). Successive condensations with aldehydes and acylating agents are followed by reduction with sodium borohydride. Overall conversions in the 75—80% range are reported. 

Trialkylisoxazoles have been prepared by the condensation of primary nitroalkanes under the influence of basic reagents (40JA2604). They can also be obtained from the reaction of a 1,3-diketone RCOCHRCOR with hydroxylamine hydrochloride <62HC(17)l, p. 54). 

Hydroxylamine can be prepared by a variety of reactions involving the reduction of nitrites, nitric acid or NO, or by the acid hydrolysis of nitroalkanes. In the conventional Raschig synthesis, an aqueous solution of NH4NO2 is reduced with HS04 /S02 at 0° to give the hydroxylamido-A ,A -disulfate anion which is then hydrolysed stepwise to hydroxylammonium sulfate ... 

The Barton-Zard (BZ) pyrrole synthesis is similar both to the van Leusen pyrrole synthesis that uses Michael acceptors and TosMlC (Section 6.7) and the Montforts pyrrole synthesis using a,P-unsaturated sulfones and alkyl a-isocyanoacetates." An alternative to the use of the reactive nitroalkenes 1 is their in situ generation from P-acetoxy nitroalkanes, which are readily prepared via the Henry reaction between an aldehyde and a nitroalkane followed by acetylation. Examples are shown later. 

Method G Highruiri-selecdvity is also observed in the fluoride-catalyzed reacdonof silyl nitronates v/ith aldehydes. Trialkyl silyl nitronates are prepared in good yield from primary nitroalkanes by consecndve treatment v/ith iithiiim dusopropylamide and trialkylsilyl chloride at -78 C in THF. 

In d sumldf way, a-nitroselenides are prepared via the reacdon of nitronates with phenylse-lenyl bromide, which gives a new synthedc method of 1-nitroalkenes from nitroalkanes The sequence of ct-selenadon, nitro-aldol reacdon, and oxidadon provides a nsefid method for the preparadon of nitroalkenes with a hydroxymethyl group fEq 5 81 ... 

Although this method is aot a geaeral procedure, bemg specific for ct-nitroketoues, k has several merits to avoid the use of toxic reageuts such as organodn compounds Functionalized ketones have been prepared by this denitration reaction, in which functionalized nitroalkanes are used as alkyl anion synthons For example, 3-nitropropanal ethylene acetal can be used as synthon of the 3-oxo-propyl anion and 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds are prepared, as shovm In Eq 7 88... 

The Michael addition of nih oalkanes to alkenes substituted with two elecbon-withdrawing groups at the a- and 3-positions provides a new method for the preparation of functionalized alkenes. Although reactions are not new, Ballini and coworkers have used this sbategy in the synthesis of polyfunctionalized unsaturated carbonyl derivatives by Michael addition of nih oalkanes to enediones as shown in Eqs. 7.124-7.126. Success of this type of reaction depends on the base and solvent. They have found that DBU in acetonihile is the method of choice for this puipose. This base-solvent system has been used widely in Michael additions of nitroalkanes to elechon-deficient alkenes (see Section 4.3, which discusses the Michael addition). ... 

Secondary nitroalkanes also give silylnitronates, however, in decreased yields (30 40%)24. Due to their lower stability compared to silylnitronates derived from primary nitroalkanes. they arc prepared as tm-butyldirnethylsilyl derivatives. 

The generation of other heteroq cles from Bfx and Fx has been the subject of exhaustive investigation. The most important transformation of Bfx to other heterocycles has been described by Haddadin and Issidorides, and is known as the Beirut reaction . This reaction involves a condensation between adequate substituted Bfx and alkene-type substructure synthons, particularly enamine and enolate nucleophiles. The Beirut reaction has been employed to prepare quinoxaline 1,4-dioxides [41], phenazine 5,10-dioxides (see Chap. Quinoxahne 1,4-dioxide and Phenazine 5,10-dioxide. Chemistry and Biology ), 1-hydroxybenzimidazole 3-oxides or benzimidazole 1,3-dioxides, when nitroalkanes have been used as enolate-producer reagent [42], and benzo[e] [ 1,2,4]triazine 1,4-dioxides when Bfx reacts with sodium cyan-amide [43-46] (Fig. 4). 

Both overt carbanions and organometallic compounds, such as Grignard reagents, are powerful nucleophiles as we have seen in their addition reactions with C=0 (p. 221 et seq.) they tend therefore to promote an SN2 pathway in their displacement reactions. Particularly useful carbanions, in preparative terms, are those derived from CH2(C02Et)2, (3-ketoesters, l,3-( 3-)diketones, e.g. (55), a-cyanoesters, nitroalkanes, etc.—the so-called reactive methylenes ... 

Nitrodesilylation (Eq. 2.17)36 and nitrodestanylation (Eq. 2.18)37 are efficient methods for the preparation of some kinds of nitroalkanes from readily available alkylsilanes or allylstan-nanes. Similar nitration also takes place at the vinylic positions (see Eq. 2.36 in Section 2.1.4). 

The reaction of alkyl halides with metal nitrites is one of the most important methods for the preparation of nitroalkanes. As a metal nitrite, silver nitrite (Victor-Meyer reaction), potassium nitrite, or sodium nitrite (Kornblum reaction) have been frequently used. The products are usually a mixture of nitroalkanes and alkyl nitrites, which are readily separated by distillation (Eq. 2.47). The synthesis of nitro compounds by this process is well documented in the reviews, and some typical cases are listed in Table 2.3.92a Primary and secondary alkyl iodides and bromides as well as sulfonate esters give the corresponding nitro compounds in 50-70% yields on treatment with NaN02 in DMF or DMSO. Some of them are described precisely in vol 4 of Organic Synthesis. For example, 1,4-dinitrobutane is prepared in 41 -46% yield by the reaction of 1,4-diiodobutane with silver nitrite in diethyl ether.92b 1-Nitrooctane is prepared by the reaction with silver nitrite in 75-80% yield. The reaction of silver nitrite with secondary halides gives yields of nitroalkanes of about 15%, whereas with tertiary halides the yields are 0-5%.92c Ethyl a-nitrobutyrate is prepared by the reaction of ethyl a-bromobutyrate in 68-75% yield with sodium nitrite in DMF.92d Sodium nitrite is considerably more soluble in DMSO than in DMF as a consequence, with DMSO, much more concentrated solutions can be employed and this makes shorter reaction times possible.926... 

A1203 can be used both as a base for the Henry reaction and as a dehydrating agent. Thus, nitroalkenes are simply prepared by mixing of aldehydes and nitroalkanes with A1203 and subsequent warming at 40 °C (Eq. 3.30).53... 

Nitromethylation of aldehydes has been carried out in a one pot procedure consisting of the Henry reaction, acetylation, and reduction with sodium borohydride, which provides a good method for the preparation of l-nitroalkanes.16b 79 It has been improved by several modifications. The initial condensation reaction is accelerated by use of KF and 18-crown-6 in isopropanol. Acetylation is effected with acetic anhydride at 25 °C and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) as a catalyst. These mild conditions are compatible with various functional groups which are often... 

An experimentally simple procedure for stereoselectively preparing P-nitro alcohols has been developed. The alkyl nitronates, formed by the action of n-butyllithium on nitroalkanes in THF solution, react with aldehydes in the presence of isopropoxytitanium trichloride at room temperature to give the P-nitro alcohols enriched in the anri-diastereoisomers (Eq. 3.71).112... 

The addition of alkoxides to 2-nitro-l-phenylthio-l-alkenes affords P-nitro-aldehyde acetals.276 The reaction of the same nitroalkenes with amines gives nitroenamines.270 They are important intermediates for organic synthesis and are generally prepared by the reaction of nitroalkanes with triethylorthoformate in the presence of alcohols or secondary amines.2"1 0 The methods of Eqs. 4.20 and 4.21 have some merits over the conventional methods, for variously substituted (3-nitro-aldehydes acetals or nitroenamines are readily prepared by these methods. 

An alternative method for the stereoselective preparation of 1,2-diamines is shown in Eq. 4.29, in which the addition of nitroalkanes to imines is used as a key reaction.35... 

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