Potential Methyl Groups

2-Methylenc-2,5-dihydrofuran (111), which has been isolated by Rice, is converted by acid into 2-methylfuran. 

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In 1931 Ing pointed out that formula (II) and (III) do not contain methyl or potential methyl groups in j ositions 6 and 8 which they occupy in cytisoline. Further, a partially reduced quinoline ought to oxidise easily to a benzenecarboxylic acid and so far the only simple oxidation, products recorded from cytisine were ammonia, oxalic acid and isovaleric acid. Distillation of cytisine with zinc dust or soda-lime yields pyrrole and pyridine, but no quinoline. On these grounds Ing suggested that cytisine should be formulated without a quinoline nucleus, and that the reactions which indicate the presence of an aromatic nucleus in the alkaloid can be accounted for by an a-pyridone ring. This a-pyridone nucleus can... 

Intramolecular cyclizationlenolate trapping of allylsilanes (cf., 12,496-497).3 The intermediate enolate formed in the TiCl4-catalyzed cyclization of 1 can be trapped by chloromethyl methyl sulfide to give a decalone derivative with a potential methyl group on the angular position. Actually the reaction results in... 

Schematic illustration of the arrangements of ethane molecules in slits of varying sizes. In the slit of width ochJ tich methyl group is able to occupy a potential minimum from the pore (middle). 

To conclude this computer project, we shall lirst search the potential surface for rotation of u-butane about its 23 C C bond, for which we think we know the answei, then seai ch the potential sutface foi I-butene, foi which we do not. In I -butene, the double bond establishes a rigid plane but the methyl group can take up several d i ffe ren t positions re I at i ve to i t by rotation ab ou t th e 2 - 3 s i n g I e bo n d,... 

In this case the relationship between stability and stereochemistry is easily explained on the basis of van der Waals strain The methyl groups on the same side of the ring m cis 1 2 dimethylcyclopropane crowd each other and increase the potential energy of this stereoisomer Steric hindrance between methyl groups is absent m trans 1 2 dimethylcyclopropane... 

FIGURE 4 2 Electro static potential maps of methanol and chloro methane The electrostatic potential is most negative near oxygen in methanol and near chlorine in chloromethane The most positive region is near the O—H proton in methanol and near the methyl group in chloromethane... 

The axial C—H bonds are weaker flian the equatorial C—H bonds as can be demonstrated by a strongly shifted C—H stretching frequency in the IR spectrum. Axial C-2 and C-6 methyl groins lower the ionization potential of the lone-pair electrons on nitrogen substantially more than do equatorial C-2 or C-6 methyl groups. Ehscuss the relationship between these observations and provide a rationalization in terms of qualitative MO theory. 

Display and examine electrostatic potential maps for ethyl cation, 2-propyl cation and 2-methyl-2-propyl cation. Which cation shows the greatest localization of positive charge If you find that the methyl groups delocalize the positive charge, where does the charge go Write resonance contributors for the three cations to rationalize your conclusion. (Note You may need to draw resonance contributors that contain a CC double bond and are missing a CH bond see also Chapter 7, Problem 8.)... 

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