Phenolic ethers Lewis acids

The rearrangement reaction of a variety of alkyl phenyl ethers over a dealumi-nated HY zeolite has been shown to involve both intramolecular and intermolecular processes to afford phenol, (alkoxyalkyl)benzenes and alkylphenols as the main products. o-Benzylphenol has been obtained as the exclusive product in the rearrangement of benzyl phenyl ether in the presence of montmorillonite. The mechanism for a novel zeolite /3-catalysed rearrangement of alkoxybenzyl allyl ethers to aldehydes and ketones has been investigated by the use of cross-over reactions and deuterium labelling. The reaction was found to be mainly intramolecular and has been described as a nucleophilic attack of the double bond on the electrophilic benzylic carbon of the ether-Lewis acid complex, followed by a... 

Another synthesis of the cortisol side chain from a C17-keto-steroid is shown in Figure 20. Treatment of a C3-protected steroid 3,3-ethanedyidimercapto-androst-4-ene-ll,17-dione [112743-82-5] (144) with a tnhaloacetate, 2inc, and a Lewis acid produces (145). Addition of a phenol and potassium carbonate to (145) in refluxing butanone yields the aryl vinyl ether (146). Concomitant reduction of the C20-ester and the Cll-ketone of (146) with lithium aluminum hydride forms (147). Deprotection of the C3-thioketal, followed by treatment of (148) with y /(7-chlotopetben2oic acid, produces epoxide (149). Hydrolysis of (149) under acidic conditions yields cortisol (29) (181). 

An isopropyl ether was developed as a phenol protective group that would be more stable to Lewis acids than an aryl benzyl ether. The isopropyl group has also been... 

An analogous reaction is the Houben-Hoesch reaction,(sometimes called the Hoesch reaction) using nitriles 7 to give aryl ketones 8. This reaction also is catalyzed by Lewis acids often zinc chloride or aluminum chloride is used. The Houben-Hoesch reaction is limited to phenols—e.g. resorcinol 6—phenolic ethers and certain electron-rich aromatic heterocycles ... 

Treatment of commercially available and symmetrical 3,4,5-tri-methoxytoluene (37) with iodine, periodic acid, and acetic acid under the conditions of Suzuki19 results in the formation of symmetrical diiodide 38 in 93 % yield. Although only one of these newly introduced iodine atoms is present in intermediate 13, both play an important role in this synthesis. Selective monodemethylation of 38 with boron trichloride furnishes phenol 39 in 53% yield together with 13 % of a regioisomer. Evidently, one of the Lewis-basic iodine substituents coordinates with the Lewis-acidic boron trichloride and directs the cleavage of the adjacent methyl ether... 

Alkyl aryl ethers (CXVII) undergo rearrangement in the presence of Lewis acid and strong acid catalysts to give the corresponding alkyl phenols (CXVIII and CXIX), viz. 

Combined effect of BTMA Br3 and ZnCl2 in acetic acid provides a new excellent bromination procedure for arenes. That is, while such reactive aromatic compounds as phenols, aromatic amines, aromatic ethers, and acetanilides have been easily brominated by BTMA Br3 in dichloromethane in the presence of methanol, the reaction of arenes, less reactive compounds, with BTMA Br3 in dichloromethane-methanol did not proceed at all, even under reflux for many hours. However, arenes could be smoothly brominated by use of this agent in acetic acid with the aid of the Lewis acid ZnCl2 (Fig. 13) (ref. 16). 

Hoesch reaction. In most cases, a Lewis acid is necessary zinc chloride is the most common. The reaction is generally useful only with phenols, phenolic ethers, and some reactive heterocyclic compounds (e.g., pyrrole), but it can be extended to aromatic amines by the use of BCls. Acylation in the case of amines is regioselectively ortho. Monohydric phenols, however, generally do not give ketones " but are attacked at the oxygen to produce imino esters. Many nitriles... 

The synthesis of 3-aryltetrahydroisoquinolines was accomplished by electrophilic aromatic substitution of polysubstituted phenols and phenyl ethers with Lewis acid-generated tosyliminium ions of 2-tosyl-3-methoxytetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives <00SL801>. In addition isoquinoline was reported to react with N-tosylated (R)- or (S)-amino acid fluorides to afford optically active dihydroimidazoisoquinolinones. The reaction proceeds via acylation followed by attack of the tosylamino group at Cl of the intermediate 2-tosylaminoacylisoquinolinium salt <00TL5479>. 

The reacting species is a rather weak electrophile and, therefore, only particularly reactive aromatics are suitable substrates. Consequently, the reaction is restricted for polyhydric phenols and their ethers, and reactive heterocycles. With strong acidic systems, such as AICI3 in halogenated benzene solvents, alkylben-zenes can react at more elevated temperatures (>50°C). Trichloroacetonitrile works also well with nonactivated aromatics. The 12 chloroimine, the protonated nitrile (13), or the nitrile coordinated with the Lewis acid are possible involved electrophiles. 

These reactions are catalysed by acids such as Lewis acids, phenols, and alcohols. The hydroxyl groups formed by the amine epoxide addition are active catalysts, so that the curing reaction usually shows an accelerating rate in its early stages, typical of auto catalysis. In some cases when the amine is present in less than stoichiometric concentrations, reaction of epoxide and hydroxyl may occur to produce an ether group ... 

GATTERMANN ALDEHYDE SYNTHESIS. Preparation of aldehydes of phenols, phenol ethers, or heterocyclic compounds hy treatment of the aromatic substrate with hydrogen cyanide and hydrochloric acid in the presence of Lewis acid catalysts. 

The Gatterman-Koch formylation is unsuitable for the preparation of aldehydes from phenols and phenolic ethers owing to the formation of complexes with the Lewis acid. 

Methylation - Carboxylic groups are determined by their methylether derivatives. Methylation may be carried out by diazomethane in the presence of a Broensted acid, such as HC1 or in the presence of a Lewis acid such as BFj, or in methanol. Phenolic-OH may also be estimated by this method if methylation in ether is followed by saponification to eliminate interference from -COOH. 

Phenylseleninyl chloride is also an efficient regio para- selective halogenating agent for activated aromatics such as phenol, phenol ethers and anilines958. Bis(4-chlorophenyl) selenide/Lewis acid mixtures chlorinate toluene preferentially at the para position959. Porphyrines are also chlorinated by PhSeCl and PhSeCl3960. PhSeBr brominates 3-keto steroids at the a-position961. 

Trihaloboranes in various guises have been extensively employed in the deprotection of phenolic methyl ethers. Methyl ethers ortho to acyl functions generally cleave selectively with Lewis acids such as trichloroborane159 and trichloro-alane.1 0 For example, trichloroborane in dichloromethane efficiently cleaved two of the three methyl ethers in 100.1 [Scheme 4.100] without affecting a... 

Oftentimes, even weak Lewis acids can accomplish the deprotection of methyl ethers activated by proximate carbonyl groups. For example, the last step in a synthesis of the protein kinase C inhibitor Calphostin A [Scheme 4,104]177 178 entailed regioselective cleavage of two phenolic methyl ethers using magnesium iodide in THF.179 The method is compatible with benzyl esters, N-Boc groups and N. 0-acetals,180... 

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