4-Nitrotoluene, reduction

The reduction of o-nitrophenyl acetic acids or esters leads to cyclization to oxindoles. Several routes to o-nitrophenylacetic acid derivatives arc available, including nitroarylation of carbanions with o-nitroaryl halides[2l,22] or trif-late[23] and acylation of o-nitrotoluenes with diethyl oxalate followed by oxidation of the resulting 3-(u-nitrophenyl)pyruvate[24 26]. 

AMNES - AMINES, AROMATIC - ANILINE AND ITS DERIVATIVES] (Vol 2) -reduction of nitrobenzene NITROBENZENE AND NITROTOLUENES] (Vol 17)... 

Reductive Gyclizations. The Batcho-Leimgmber protocol involves condensation of an o-nitrotoluene with a dimethylformamide acetal to form a P-( nitrophenyl)enamine (27). A reducing agent then affects the reductive cycli2ation to an indole. 

Mixtures of HNO, H2SO4, and SO also result in high concentrations of NO/, and toluene can be readily nitrated at —40 to — 10°C as a result (6). At these low temperatures, the formation of the meta-isomer of mononitrotoluene (MNT) is greatiy reduced. Such a reduction is highly desired in the production both of dinitrotoluenes (DNTs) employed to produce intermediates for polyurethane production and of trinitrotoluene (TNT), which is a high explosive. > -MNT results in the production of undesired DNT and TNT isomers (see Nitrobenzene and nitrotoluenes). 

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. 

Batch syntheses comparable to those used for MDA produce 3,3 -dimethy1methy1enedi(cyclohexylamine) marketed under the trade name Laromia C-260. The starting aromatic diamiae, 3,3 -dimethy1methy1enediani1ine [838-88-0] is prepared from o-toluidine [95-53-4] condensation with formaldehyde. Similarly 3,3 -dimethyldicyclohexylaniiae [24066-10-2] may be produced (38) from o-toHdine [119-93-7] derived from o-nitrotoluene [88-72-2]. The resultant isomer mixtures are dependent on reduction conditions as ia MDA hydrogeaatioa. 

The Batcho-Leimgruber indole synthesis involves the condensation of o-nitrotoluene derivatives 1 with formamide acetals 2, followed by reduction of the trans-p-dimethylamino-2-nitrostyrene 3 which results to furnish indole derivatives represented by... 

In 1971, Batcho and Leimgruber introduced a new method for the synthesis of indoles. For example, condensation of o-nitrotoluene (5) with N,N-dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal (6) (DMFDMA) was followed by reduction of the rrans-P-dimethylamino-2-nitrostyrene (7) which resulted to provide the indole (8). ... 

The Reissert procedure involves base-catalyzed condensation of an o-nitrotoluene derivative 1 with an ethyl oxalate (2) which is followed by reductive cyclization to an indole-2-carboxylic acid derivative 4, as illustrated below . ... 

In 1897, Reissert reported the synthesis of a variety of substituted indoles from o-nitrotoluene derivatives. Condensation of o-nitrotoluene (5) with diethyl oxalate (2) in the presense of sodium ethoxide afforded ethyl o-nitrophenylpyruvate (6). After hydrolysis of the ester, the free acid, o-nitrophenylpyruvic acid (7), was reduced with zinc in acetic acid to the intermediate, o-aminophenylpyruvic acid (8), which underwent cyclization with loss of water under the conditions of reduction to furnish the indole-2-carboxylic acid (9). When the indole-2-carboxylic acid (9) was heated above its melting point, carbon dioxide was evolved with concomitant formation of the indole (10). 

While the direct halogenation of toluene gives a mixture of isomers that is difficult to separate into the pure isomers, the isomeric o- and /r-nitrotoluenes 6a and 6b, formed by nitration, are easy to separate from each other. Thus reduction of the single o- or /j-nitrotoluene 6 to the o- or /j-toluidine 7a or 7b respectively, followed by conversion into the corresponding diazonium salt 8 and a subsequent Sandmeyer reaction leads to the pure o- or /j-halotoluene 9. 

Preparation of the prototype in this series, procaine (31). i.irts with the oxidation of p-nitrotoluene (27) to the corre-Hiding benzoic acid (28). This is then converted to the acid ll Inride (29) reaction of the halide with diethyl aminoethanol fiI lords the so-called basic ester (30). Reduction by any of a .fl ics of standard methods (e.g., iron and mineral acid, cata-Ivlic reduction) affords procaine (31). ... 

Oxidative coupling of o-nitrotoluene gives 4,4 -dinitrodibenzyl which is reduced with hydrogen to the diamine. The diamine is pyrolyzed to give dihydrobenzazepine. This is reacted with N-(3-chloropropvl)-N-methylbenzamine to give N-benzyldesipramine. This is debenzylated by reductive cleavage and then reacted with HCI. 

The pathway used by a strain of Mycobacterium sp. for the degradation of 4-nitrotoluene is initiated by reduction to the hydroxylamine and rearrangement to 3-hydroxy-4-aminotoluene before further degradation (Spiess et al. 1998). 

Nitrotoluenes including 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) are important components of explosives and several nitroarenes including the antibacterial nitrofurans have established mntagenicity (Purohit and Basu 2000). Substantial effort has been directed to the degradation of nitroarenes, and to their reduction to amines. Although nitroarene reductases, noted in Chapter 3, Part 3, are distribnted in a range of biota, the products may not necessarily represent intermediates in the degradation... 

The complete sequence of reduction products was produced from 2,6-dinitrotoluene by Salmonella typhimurium strain TA 98 (Sayama et al. 1992)—2-nitroso-6-nitrotoluene, 2-hydroxylamino-6-nitrotoluene, and 2-amino-6-nitrotoluene. 

Although the possibility of bioremediation of sites contaminated with nitrotoluene waste is clearly possible, important issues should be clearly appreciated. These include (a) additional carbon sources may be necessary to accomplish partial or complete reduction of nitro groups, (b) under aerobic conditions, dimeric azo compounds may be formed as terminal metabolites, and (c) aromatic amines may be incorporated into humic material by covalent bonding and thereby resist further degradation. 

DAS (11.7) is synthesised from 4-nitrotoluene-2-sulphonic acid (11.6) by the route outlined in Scheme 11.1. An important factor in the preparation of DAST brighteners in the purity necessary for good performance is the purity of the DAS used as starting material. At one time DAS made in this way contained significant amounts of yellow azoxy compounds similar to 11.8, which formed the main components of the obsolescent dye Sun Yellow (Cl Direct Yellow 11) made by the partial reduction and self-condensation of intermediate 11.6. Today the major manufacturers supply DAS essentially free from these undesirable impurities [37]. 

The Batcho indole synthesis involves the conversion of an o-nitrotoluene to a (3-dialkyl-amino-o-nitrostyrene with dimethylformamide acetal, followed by reductive cyclization to indoles. This provides a useful strategy for synthesis of substituted indoles (Eq. 10.49).63... 

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