4-phenylazo derivatives, rearrangement

The reaction of amines with the 4-phenylazo derivative (228) results in their rearrangement into triazolines. Depending on the basicity of the amines and the size of the alkoxy group, three different triazolines (229. 230, and 231) are obtained (Scheme 117) (454. 459, 472). In all cases, the first step involves nucleophilic addition of the amine to the carbonyl group followed by ring opening and further ring closure. 

Alkyl- and aryl-hydrazones of aldehydes and ketones readily peroxidise in solution and rearrange to azo hydroperoxides [1], some of which are explosively unstable [2], Dry samples of the p-bromo- and p-fluoro-hydroperoxybenzylazobenzenes, prepared by oxygenation of benzene solutions of the phenylhydrazones, exploded while on filter paper in the dark, initiated by vibration of the table or tapping the paper. Samples were later stored moist with benzene at —60°C to prevent explosion [3], A series of a-phenylazo hydroperoxides derived from the phenyl-or p-bromophcnyl-hydrazones of acetone, acetophenone or cyclohexanone, and useful for epoxidation of alkenes, are all explosive [4], The stability of several substituted phenylazo hydroperoxides was found to be strongly controlled by novel substituent effects [5],... 

A novel acid-catalysed rearrangement of 2-hydroxy-2-phenylazo-y-butyrolactone (45) to the interesting /V-substituted tetrahydro-l,3-oxazine-2,4-dione derivative (46) has been reported.58 The photo- and thermo-chemistry of diazo(2-furyl)methane and diazo(3-furyl)methane have been investigated59 using matrix isolation techniques, and 3,7-diphenylpyrano[4,3-c]pyran-l,5-diones have been prepared60 from 5,5 -diphenyl-... 

The 4(4 -n.butyl phenylazo)phenylbutyric acid described earlier is easily converted to an acid chloride and thence to a wide variety of activated or activatable species, including acylazide, amine (by acyl azide rearrangement), diazoketone (with diazomethane), iodide (by Huns-diecker reaction) and alkene (by treatment with Wilkinson s catalyst). Alkenes are easily converted to silanes, so that this offers a direct route to a derivative of the type used by Sagiv in the work mentioned earlier. 

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