Nitrobenzaldehydes

It should be noted that aliphatic compounds (except the paraffins) are usually oxidised by concentrated nitric acid, whereas aromatic compounds (including the hydrocarbons) are usually nitrated by the concentrated acid (in the presence of sulphuric acid) and oxidised by the dilute acid. As an example of the latter, benzaldehyde, CjHsCHO, when treated with concentrated nitric acid gives ffi-nitrobenzaldehyde, N02CgH4CH0, but with dilute nitric acid gives benzoic acid, CgHgCOOH. 

Heat a suspension of 22 g. of the diacetate in a mixture of 120 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid, 190 ml. of water and 35 ml. of alcohol under reflux for 45 minutes. Cool the mixture to 0°, filter the solid with suction, and wash with water. Purify the crude aldehyde by rapid steam distillation (Fig. II, 41, 3) collect about 1500 ml. of distillate during 15 minutes, cool, filter, and dry in a vacuum desiccator over calcium chloride. The yield of pure o-nitrobenzaldehyde, m.p. 44—45°, is 10 g. The crude solid may also be purified after drying either by distillation under reduced pressure (the distillate of rather wide b.p., e.g., 120-144°/3-6 mm., is quite pure) or by dissolution in toluene (2-2-5 ml. per gram) and precipitation with light petroleum, b.p. 40°-60° (7 ml. per ml. of solution). 

Potassium and sodium borohydride show greater selectivity in action than lithium aluminium hydride thus ketones or aldehydes may be reduced to alcohols whilst the cyano, nitro, amido and carbalkoxy groups remain unaffected. Furthermore, the reagent may be used in aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic solution. One simple application of its use will be described, viz., the reduction of m-nitrobenzaldehyde to m-nitrobenzyl alcohol ... 

The undermentioned reductions may be carried out by simple adaptations to the procedures chloral to trichloroethj 1 alcohol m-nltroacetophenone of a-methyl-3-nitrobenzyl alcohol and o-nitrobenzaldehyde to o-nitroben l alcohol. 

A two-step synthesis of indoles from o-nitrobenzaldehydes proceeds by condensation with nitromcthanc followed by reductive cyclization. Like the Leim-gruber Batcho method, the principal application of the reaction is to indoles with only carbocyclic substituents. The forniation of the o,p-dinitrostyrenes is usually done under classical Henry condensation conditions but KF/18-crown-6 in propanol was found to be an advantageous reaction medium for acetoxy-substituted compounds[1]. The o,p-dinitrostyrenes can also be obtained by nitration of p-nitrostyrenes[2]. 

The methyl group of -nitrotoluene is activated by the para nitro group. -Nitrotoluene is oxidized to -nitrobenzoic acid [62-23-7] by potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) in alkaline solution, potassium permanganate, or potassium dichromate. -Nitrotoluene is converted to -nitrobenzaldehyde... 

Uses. (9-Nitrotoluene is used in the synthesis of intermediates for azo dyes, sulfur dyes, mbber chemicals, and agriculture chemicals. Typical intermediates are o-toluidine, o-nitrobenzaldehyde, 2-nitro-4-chlorotoluene, 2-nitro-6-chlorotoluene, 2-amino-4-chlorotoluene (Fast Scarlet TR Base), and 2-amino-6-chlorotoluene (Fast Red KB Base). -Nitrotoluene is used principally in the production of intermediates for azo and sulfur dyes. Typical intermediates are -toluidine, -nitrobenzaldehyde, and 4-nitro-2-chlorotoluene. 

The synthesis of benzo[6]thiophenes from o-nitrobenzaldehydes or o-nitrobenzonitriles and methyl thioglycollate can be viewed as an extension of the foregoing approach (Scheme 64) (72JOC3224). 

The first 1,2-benzisoxazole, 3-phenyl-l,2-benzisoxazole, was obtained from the treatment of o-bromobenzophenone oxime with alkali in 1892 (1892CB1498,1892CB3291). 2,1-Benzisoxazole has been known since 1882, being obtained as a reduction product of o-nitrobenzaldehyde with tin and hydrochloric acid (1882CB2105). In general, benzisoxazoles behave much like substituted isoxazoles. Numerous structural ambiguities occur in the early literature of these two systems, and these have been discussed in the above reviews. 

Aryl-l,2-benzisoxazoles can also be prepared by the reaction of o-nitrobenzaldehydes and an aromatic hydrocarbon catalyzed by sulfuric acid (67AHC(8)277). Cyclization of (576) by Zn/HOAc gave (577) sulfuric acid cyclization gave (578) and (579) (62JOC3683, 66DIS(B)102). 

Oxaziridine formation by photoisomerization of nitrones was discovered almost simultaneously with the peracid procedure (58JOC65l>. The t-butyl nitrones of benzaldehyde and 4-nitrobenzaldehyde yielded about 90% of oxaziridines (254) and (255) on UV irradiation. 

BAEYER - DREWSON Indoxyl Synfhesis Conversion of o-nitrobenzaldehyde and ketones to indoxyls. 

EHRLICH - SACHS Aldehyde Synthesis Formation of o-nitrobenzaldehydes from o-nitrotoluenea. 

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