Phosgene-free

Reductive carbonylation of nitro compounds is catalyzed by various Pd catalysts. Phenyl isocyanate (93) is produced by the PdCl2-catalyzed reductive carbonylation (deoxygenation) of nitrobenzene with CO, probably via nitrene formation. Extensive studies have been carried out to develop the phosgene-free commercial process for phenyl isocyanate production from nitroben-zene[76]. Effects of various additives such as phenanthroline have been stu-died[77-79]. The co-catalysts of montmorillonite-bipyridylpalladium acetate and Ru3(CO) 2 are used for the reductive carbonylation oLnitroarenes[80,81]. Extensive studies on the reaction in alcohol to form the A -phenylurethane 94 have also been carried out[82-87]. Reaction of nitrobenzene with CO in the presence of aniline affords diphenylurea (95)[88]. 

An analogue of the transesterification process has also been demonstrated, in which the diacetate of BPA is transesterified with dimethyl carbonate, producing polycarbonate and methyl acetate (33). Removal of the methyl acetate from the equihbrium drives the reaction to completion. Methanol carbonylation, transesterification using phenol to diphenyl carbonate, and polymerization using BPA is commercially viable. The GE plant is the first to produce polycarbonate via a solventiess and phosgene-free process. 

Oxidative carbonylation is not necessarily associated with C - C bond formation. Indeed, heteroatom carbonylation may occur exclusively, as in the oxidative carbonylation of alcohols or phenols to carbonates, of alcohols and amines to carbamates, of aminoalcohols to cyclic carbamates, and of amines to ureas. All these reactions are of particular significance, in view of the possibility to prepare these very important classes of carbonyl compounds through a phosgene-free approach. These carbonylations are usually carried out in the presence of an appropriate oxidant under catalytic conditions (Eqs. 31-33), and in some cases can be promoted not only by transition metals but also by... 

The oxidative carbonylation of alcohols and phenols to carbonates can be catalyzed by palladium or copper species [154-213]. This reaction is of particular practical importance, since it can be developed into an industrial process for the phosgene-free synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and diphenyl carbonate (DPC), which are important industrial intermediates for the production of polycarbonates. Moreover, DMC can be used as an eco-friendly methylation and carbonylation agent [214,215]. The industrial production of DMC by oxidative carbonylation of methanol has been achieved by Enichem [216] and Ube [217]. 

The oxidative carbonylation of amines to give ureas is at present one of the most attractive ways for synthesizing this very important class of carbonyl compounds via a phosgene-free approach. Ureas find extensive application as agrochemicals, dyes, antioxidants, resin precursors, synthetic intermediates (also for the production of carbamates and isocyanates), and HIV-inhibitors. Many transition metals (incuding Au [244], Co [248,253-255], Cu [242], Mn [249,256-258], Ni [259], Rh [246,247,260-262], Ru [224,260,263] and especially Pd [219,225,226,264-276], and, more recently, W [277-283]) as well as main-group elements (such as sulfur [284-286] and selenium [287— 292]) have been reported to promote the oxidative carbonylation of amines, usually under catalytic conditions. In some cases, carbamates and/or oxamides are formed as byproducts, thus lowering the selectivity of the process. 

This method of transesterification is of high technical interest. Particularly the reaction of bisphenol A with diphenyl carbonate is a preferred phosgene-free process because biphenyl carbonate can be obtained directly from phenol and dimethyl carbonate.The latter is an industrial product made from CO and methanol. 

Scheme 5.3 BASF Phosgene-free process for I DPI manufacture.

Daicel Chemical Industries in Japan patented a promising phosgene-free process involving the reaction of an aliphatic diamine with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) to produce carbamate esters, which are then thermally converted to the corresponding aliphatic diisocyanates [38] (Scheme 5.4). It is noteworthy that this process could be a total phosgene-free process since the reactant, DMC, can be made directly from methanol and carbon dioxide (or urea) and eliminates the use of phosgene [39]. 

Scheme 5.4 Daicel phosgene-free I DPI manufacture using dimethyl carbonate.

Union Carbide also patented a phosgene-free process for making hexamethylene diisocyanates [40] (Scheme5.5). In this later process, 1,6-hexanediamine was reacted with dry-ice, trimethylchlorosilane, and trichlorophenylsilane to form a halosilyl carbamate intermediate and then converted to the corresponding diisocyanate. However, it should be noted that trichlorophenylsilane used in this process is on the EPA s Extremely Hazardous Chemicals List (40 CFR Part 355, Appendix A). 

In 1980, Akzo also developed a new phosgene-free process to make trons-1,4-diisocyanatocyclohexane directly from 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (or its ester)... 

A phosgene-free route to aromatic isocyanates, such as M DI and TDI, was reported by Fernandez et al. [42] (Scheme 5.7) According to the patent, the one-pot synthesis involves the use of an immobilized Schiff base type of ligand catalyst that facilitates the oxidative carbonylation of aromatic amines to the corresponding isocyanates. However, 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE), 1,2-dichlorobenzene, and carbon monoxide were used in this process, so this would not be a totally environmentally friendly process even if these reagents could be recycled and reused. 

C / 40 bar Catalyst system [Co-terf-butyl-Salen]/silica Scheme 5.7 Phosgene-free synthesis of aromatic diisocyanates (TDI). 

Hunter, D. and Rotman, D. (1994) Hills plans diisocyanate unit based on new phosgene-free process. Chem. Week,... 

Zengel, H.G. (1980) A new phosgene free process for trans-cyclohexane-1,... 

A phosgene-free synthesis of alkylisocyanates makes use of the indirect electrochemical oxidation in the alpha-position to nitrogen of formamides. Bromide in methanol solution acts as the redox catalyst, which, presumably, is oxidized to the methyl hypobromite [9] ... 

The most common industrial syntheses of carbamate esters are based on either the alcoholysis of phosgene, followed by aminolysis of the intermediate chlorofor-mate, or the reaction of an alcohol with an isocyanate, usually prepared from COCl2 [6, 7]. The development of phosgene-free routes to carbamates represents an important synthetic challenge, and several synthetic strategies are currently under investigation in this area. 

A few of these imply the carbonylation of nitroaromahc substrates [41], or the oxidative carbonylation of amines [42], or the reaction of amines with carbonic acid diesters [11] that are currently available, even on an industrial scale, through phosgene-free routes [43]. 

With respect to the synthesis from amines, C02 and alkyl halides, the synthesis of carbamates from amines, C02 and alcohols (Equation 6.10) is not only a phosgene-free, but also a halogen-free process. Moreover, water forms as the only reaction coproduct. Whilst these features make the route very attractive from the point of view of environmental sustainability, unfortunately the reaction suffers from both thermodynamic and kinetics limitations. Kinetic impediments make necessary the use of a suitable catalyst which, moreover, must be water-tolerant in order to avoid deactivation by cogenerated H20. Several strategies have been explored to overcome these restraints, based mainly on the use of alcohols in a dehydrated form (for instance, as ortho esters or ortho carbonates) [63], or on the use of dehydrating agents [64, 65]. 

Figure 10-10 HPLC chromatograms of phosgene-free polycarbonate samples derived with 2-amino-phenol as a function of time (a) sample after 2 hours, (b) sample after 13 hours, (c) polymer blank, (d) reagent blank.

Quite recently, novel cyclization reactions involving CO to give carbocydic and heterocyclic compounds, which are characteristic for mthenium catalysts, have been developed. Ruthenium complexes provide new avenues for cydization reactions. In addition, CO is often used as a reducing agent, and reductive carbonylations of nitro compounds catalyzed by mthenium complexes are very attractive reactions that provide phosgene-free processes [3]. 

The reductive carbonylation of nitroarenes with transition metal catalysts is a very important process in industry, as the development of a phosgene-free method for preparing isocyanate is required. Ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium complex catalysts have all been well studied, and ruthenium catalysts have been shown to be both highly active and attractive. The reduction of nitroarene with CO in the presence of alcohol and amine gives urethanes and ureas [95], respectively, both of which can be easily converted into isocyanates [3,96]. 

Syntheses of N-arylurethanes and N,N -diarylureas for an approach to phosgene-free isocyanates could be accomplished by ruthenium complex-catalyzed dehydro-genative reactions of N-arylformamides, which are prepared by the carbonylation of aminoarenes (see Eq. 11.8), with alcohols [106] and aminoarenes [107], respectively. 

Another interesting bromide ion-catalyzed reaction is the anodic oxidation (undivided cell) of secondary formamides in methanol leading to urethanes [232]. This reaction proceeds via the intermediate A-bromo amide, which under elimination of HBr forms the isocyanate, which is attacked by methanol. Thus, a phosgene-free technical synthesis of urethanes is made possible. Urethanes can be used as stable isocyanate equivalents [Eq. (42)]. 

Very recently, phosgene-free methods for producing organic isocyanates have been developed. One method involves reductive carbonylation of a nitro compound in the presence of a monoalcohol to produce a urethane compound, followed by thermal dissociation of the resulting urethane compound, as shown below ... 

Another phosgene-free method was developed by Akzo Co. to product p-phenylene diisocyanate (32). 

Reductive carbonylation of nitro compounds, especially nitroaromatic compounds according to eq. (1), has been the subject of thorough industrial research starting in 1962 and continuing until the beginning of the 1990s due to the demand for a new, phosgene-free method for the production of isocyanates [1] and the discussions on the chlorine cycle in industry. 

Phosgene-free synthesis of isocyanates directly from carboxylic acids and diphenylphos-phonic azide (PhO)2P(0)N3 in combination with proton sponge 1 followed by Curtius rearrangement has been also described222. 

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