Oxidation and nitration of C-N bonds

OXIDATION AND NITRATION OF C-N BONDS 1.6.1 Oxidation and nitration of oximes... 

O-acetylophiocarpine (381) with ethyl chloroformate afforded the C-8—N cleaved urethane 382 in quantitative yield. Sequential treatment of 382 with silver nitrate, PCC, sodium hydroxide, and p-toluenesulfonic acid in ethanol furnished acetal 384, which was reduced with lithium aluminum hydride followed by hydrolysis to afford the hemiacetal 385. Oxidation of 385 with PCC provided (+ )-a-hydrastine (369). Similar treatment of O-acetylepi-ophiocarpine (386) afforded ( )-/J-hydrastine (368) however, in this case, C—N bond cleavage of 386 with ethyl chloroformate proceeded without regioselectivity. 

The products of the thermolysis of 3-phenyl-5-(arylamino)-l,2,4-oxadiazoles and thiazoles have been accounted for by a radical mechanism.266 Flash vacuum pyrolysis of 1,3-dithiolane-1-oxides has led to thiocarbonyl compounds, but the transformation is not general.267 hi an ongoing study of silacyclobutane pyrolysis, CASSF(4,4), MR-CI and CASSCF(4,4)+MP2 calculations using the 3-21G and 6-31G basis sets have modelled the reaction between silenes and ethylene, suggesting a cyclic transition state from which silacyclobutane or a trcins-biradical are formed.268 An AMI study of the thermolysis of 1,3,3-trinitroazacyclobutane and its derivatives has identified gem-dinitro C—N bond homolysis as the initial reaction.269 Similar AMI analysis has determined the activation energy of die formation of NCh from methyl nitrate.270 Thermal decomposition of nitromethane in a shock tube (1050-1400 K, 0.2-40 atm) was studied spectrophotometrically, allowing determination of rate constants.271... 

The nitrolysis of tertiary amines in the form of fert-butylamines and methylenediamines has been used to synthesize numerous polynitramine-based energetic materials. In these reactions one of the N-C bonds is cleaved to generate a secondary nitramine and an alcohol the latter is usually 0-nitrated or oxidized under the reaction conditions (Equation 5.15). The ease in which nitrolysis occurs is related to the stability of the expelled alkyl cation. Consequently, the fert-butyl group and the iminium cation from methylenediamines are excellent leaving groups. 

Marchand and co-workers reported a synthetic route to TNAZ (18) involving a novel electrophilic addition of NO+ NO2 across the highly strained C(3)-N bond of 3-(bromomethyl)-l-azabicyclo[1.1.0]butane (21), the latter prepared as a nonisolatable intermediate from the reaction of the bromide salt of tris(bromomethyl)methylamine (20) with aqueous sodium hydroxide under reduced pressure. The product of this reaction, A-nitroso-3-bromomethyl-3-nitroazetidine (22), is formed in 10% yield but is also accompanied by A-nitroso-3-bromomethyl-3-hydroxyazetidine as a by-product. Isolation of (22) from this mixture, followed by treatment with a solution of nitric acid in trifluoroacetic anhydride, leads to nitrolysis of the ferf-butyl group and yields (23). Treatment of (23) with sodium bicarbonate and sodium iodide in DMSO leads to hydrolysis of the bromomethyl group and the formation of (24). The synthesis of TNAZ (18) is completed by deformylation of (24), followed by oxidative nitration, both processes achieved in one pot with an alkaline solution of sodium nitrite, potassium ferricyanide and sodium persulfate. This route to TNAZ gives a low overall yield and is not suitable for large scale manufacture. 

The C-Si bond of an SMA can also be cleaved by oxidizing reagents like cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN). Starting from (V-bis(trimethylsilyl)methylazetidinones, treatment with CAN probably leads to the oxidation product of the two C-Si bonds, i.e., the corresponding disilylketal that is hydrolyzed into the formamide to give the N-H azetidinones (yields >80%). This constitutes an alternate and more efficient way to sequential fluoride-induced desilylation. Peterson olefination, ozonolysis, and formamide decomposition when deprotection of bis(trimethylsilyl)methylated azetidinones into NH-azetidinones is required.228,230... 

Peroxy nitric adds and organic peroxy nitrates are another precursors of free radicals, which may be introduced into polymers from polluted atmosphere. They produce both peroxy radicals and reactive nitrogen oxides (NO and N02) on decomposition. With alkyl peroxynitrates, decomposition proceeds via OO—N bond fission having activation energy 87 kJ/mol, their half-life being several seconds at 0 °C [12]. 

The yellow ONOO- ion can be made in pure form by passing NO through a solution of tetramethylammonium superoxide in ammonia56 ONOO from other syntheses can be contaminated by reactants and nitrate. ONOOH is a weak acid with a pKa near 6.8 and isomerizes to N03 and H+ in seconds.57 At pH 12 the anion is stable for several hours at 0°C. It occurs solely as the cis isomer, due to a partial double bond between N and the first peroxide O.58 Peroxynitrite is toxic in vivo it is formed through the diffusion-controlled reaction of 02 with NO-.57 ONOOH oxidizes via direct and indirect pathways.59 Under physiological conditions the main reaction partners for ONOO" and ONOOH appear to be carbon dioxide60 and thiols,61 respectively. The ONOO—C02—adduct nitrates tyrosines. 

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