Nitrosative dealkylation of tertiary amines

Figure 2. Nitrosative dealkylation of tertiary amines (a) mechanism postulated by Smith and Loeppky (2) (b) composite of proposals by Lijinsky et al. (S) and...

Thus the postulate that a-amino nitrite esters could form and fragment to nitrosamines has provided a useful construct for explaining some aspects of the nitrosative dealkylation of tertiary amines and their derivatives. 

As a result of our previous work on the scope and mechanism of tertiary amine nitrosation (X), we became interested in the behavior of N-alkylaziridines toward nitrous acid. Possible modes of reaction are illustrated in Scheme 1. The operation of either path A or C would be consistent with our previous studies of oxidative dealkylation of tertiary amines (1 ), while pathway B would be akin to the observed cheleotropic transformation of N-nitroso-aziridines (2). 

A similar mechanism was invoked by Ohshima and Kawabata (2) to account for their results in the nitrosation of tertiary amines and amine oxides. In applying these concepts to the nitrosative dealkylation of tetraalkyltetrazenes, Michejda al. 5) introduced an interesting variant by suggesting that immonium ions could be formed in two successive one-electron oxidation steps (for example by ferric ion oxidation of tertiary amine to the radical cation followed by radical abstraction of a hydrogen atom from the alpha position), rather than exclusively through the one-step removal of a hydride ion as nitroxyl. The resulting immonium ion was again considered to react directly with nitrite to produce the N-nitroso derivative. These reactions are summarized in Fig. 2b. 

The reaction of tertiary aromatic amines with butyl nitrite has been investigated in detail. The main products arise from 7V-dealkylation/7V-nitrosation, e.g. equation 91270. 

Reagents for amination, nitrosation and nitration of tertiary alkylamines are discussed in the appropriate reviews listed in Sections 6.1.3.1.4 and 6.I.3.I.5. Tertiary amines can be nitrosated with dealkylation by dinitrogen tetroxide for example, 1-methylpiperidine gave 1-nitrosopiperidine (80%). lliis reaction probably starts by one-electron oxidation of the amine, the aminium ion then undergoing dealkylation. Other oxidative d ylations and dealkylations include the formation of iV-nitrosodibenzylamine in high yield from the acid chloride (PhCH2)2NCOCl and sodium nitrite and the conversion of the amine (43) into the nitramine (44) with nitric acid. ... 

Tertiary amines react with the nitrosating agents in an acidic aqueous solution to form A -nitrosamines but, in general, only after the complete formation of dialkylamines through dealkylation. 

Recently [35a] it has been found that, contrary to common belief, tertiary aliphatic amines react with aqueous nitrous acid to undergo dealkylation to form a carbonyl compound, a secondary nitrosoamine, and nitrous oxide. Base-weakening groups markedly reduce nitrosative cleavage, and quaterniza-tion prevents it completely. Several examples of this reaction are shown in Table II. 

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