Sulfonic acids reaction with orthoformates

Sulfonic esters are most frequently prepared by treatment of the corresponding halides with alcohols in the presence of a base. The method is much used for the conversion of alcohols to tosylates, brosylates, and similar sulfonic esters. Both R and R may be alkyl or aryl. The base is often pyridine, which functions as a nucleophilic catalyst, as in the similar alcoholysis of carboxylic acyl halides (10-21). Primary alcohols react the most rapidly, and it is often possible to sulfonate selectively a primary OH group in a molecule that also contains secondary or tertiary OH groups. The reaction with sulfonamides has been much less frequently used and is limited to N,N-disubstituted sulfonamides that is, R" may not be hydrogen. However, within these limits it is a useful reaction. The nucleophile in this case is actually R 0 . However, R" may be hydrogen (as well as alkyl) if the nucleophile is a phenol, so that the product is RS020Ar. Acidic catalysts are used in this case. Sulfonic acids have been converted directly to sulfonates by treatment with triethyl or trimethyl orthoformate HC(OR)3, without catalyst or solvent and with a trialkyl phosphite P(OR)3. ... 

Esterification of sulfonic acids.1 Sulfonic acids are converted into methyl or ethyl esters on reaction with trimethyl or triethyl orthoformate. Yields are >80% in esterification of arenesulfonic acids, but are somewhat lower in the reaction of alkanesulfonic acids because of volatility of the products. 

Acetalization with Trialkyl Orthoformates. In an acetal exchange reaction, trialkyl orthoformates will convert carbonyl groups to their corresponding acetal derivatives without concomitant formation of water. Weak acids such as NH4NO3 or amberlyst-15 (a sulfonic acid resin) catalyze the acetalization. ... 

Reaction conditions depend on the reactants and usually involve acid or base catalysis. Examples of X include sulfate, acid sulfate, alkane- or arenesulfonate, chloride, bromide, hydroxyl, alkoxide, perchlorate, etc. RX can also be an alkyl orthoformate or alkyl carboxylate. The reaction of cycHc alkylating agents, eg, epoxides and a2iridines, with sodium or potassium salts of alkyl hydroperoxides also promotes formation of dialkyl peroxides (44,66). Olefinic alkylating agents include acycHc and cycHc olefinic hydrocarbons, vinyl and isopropenyl ethers, enamines, A[-vinylamides, vinyl sulfonates, divinyl sulfone, and a, P-unsaturated compounds, eg, methyl acrylate, mesityl oxide, acrylamide, and acrylonitrile (44,66). 

Perhaps classical for the protection of 1,2- and 1,3-cis-diols is the isopropyl-idene (acetonide) function. This acid labile ketal may be formed by reaction of a ribonucleoside with acetone in the presence of an acid (HCl, p-toluene-sulfonic, H2SO4) and water scavenger (2,2-dimethoxypropane, ethyl orthoformate). Other similar protecting groups include the benzylidene and cyclohexylidene functions. 

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