Pyrazoles, alkylation

Pyrazole alkylation in basic media [122] A very important microwave-specific effect was apparent in the absence of a base in the reaction of pyrazole with phenethyl bromide (reaction times MW = 8 min, A = 48 h, Eq. 69). When the same reaction was performed in the presence of KOH, the microwave effect disappeared vide supra Eq. 46). 

There are some recent examples of this type of synthesis of pyridazines, but this approach is more valuable for cinnolines. Alkyl and aryl ketazines can be transformed with lithium diisopropylamide into their dianions, which rearrange to tetrahydropyridazines, pyrroles or pyrazoles, depending on the nature of the ketazlne. It is postulated that the reaction course is mainly dependent on the electron density on the carbon termini bearing anionic charges (Scheme 65) (78JOC3370). 

Pyrazoles and imidazoles carrying a substituent on nitrogen, as well as oxazoles, thiazoles, etc., are converted by alkyl halides into quaternary salts. This is Illustrated by the preparation of thiamine (89) from components (87) and (88). 

Pyrazoles and imidazoles with free NH groups are readily alkylated, e.g. by Mel or Me2S04. A useful procedure is to use the alkyl salt of the azole in liquid ammonia (80AHC(27)241). However, alkylation can also occur under neutral conditions, particularly with imidazoles. 

Pyrazoles, isoxazoles and isothiazoles with a hydroxyl group in the 3-position (491 Z = NR, O, S) could isomerize to 3-azolinones (492). However, these compounds behave as true hydroxy derivatives and show phenolic properties. They give an intense violet color with iron(III) chloride and form a salt (493) with sodium hydroxide which can be O-alkylated by alkyl halides (to give 494 R = alkyl) and acylated by acid chlorides (to give 494 R = acyl). 

Figure 22 represents the main consequences on pyrazole reactivity when a positive charge is present at the 2-position of the nucleus. A similar situation occurs in the indazolium salts, which thermally decompose into an alkylindazole and an alkyl halide, a reaction sequence described by von Auwers. 

Pyrazole and indazole anions, in a manner similar to other azole anions, show the expected inversion of reactivity when compared with the cations. They are more reactive towards electrophiles, both at the nitrogen and carbon atoms, and less reactive towards nucleophiles than the corresponding neutral molecules. For practical purposes most of the N -alkylated pyrazoles and indazoles are prepared from the corresponding anions. 

Although A-alkylation is one of the most important and most studied reactions of pyrazoles, its quantitative (orientation ratios) and qualitative (mechanism) aspects are still unclear. All the classical results are reported in (67HC(22)l, B-76MI40402) and can be summarized as follows. 

Another possibility is that both nitrogen atoms react with a double alkylating agent. In this way fused pyrazole derivatives (pyrazolo[l,2-a]pyrazoles) like (237) can be obtained by reaction of 3,5-dimethylpyrazole with 1,3-dichloropropane or l-chloro-3-propanol (69BSF2064). More surprising is the reaction with a-chlorocarbonylphenylketene which yields the paraionic compound (238) (80JA3971) which can also be obtained from 3,5-dihydroxy-4-phenylpyrazole and /3-dicarbonyl compounds (82JOC295). 

The fact that the isomeric structure of azolides is thermodynamically controlled has been used by Olofson and Kendall to prepare 1-alkylazoles regioselectively (70JOC2246). An asymmetric pyrazole yields two alkylated derivatives (Scheme 21 see Section 4.04.2.1.3 (viii)), but the alkylation with a powerful alkylating agent of the acetylated derivative leads to the less abundant isomer via the salt (249), which is too unstable to be isolated. 

C-Alkylation of pyrazoles was a rather uneommon reaction until Grandberg and Kost found the experimental conditions necessary to obtain high yields of 4-benzylpyrazoles (66AHC(6)347). With A-unsubstituted pyrazoles a large excess of aluminum ehloride is neeessary to aeeomplish alkylation at C-4. 

The behaviour of pyrazoles towards nitrosation is similar to their behaviour described above towards diazo coupling, i.e. aminopyrazoles and pyrazolones readily react with nitrosation agents, like alkyl nitrites (81FES1019), to afford stable nitroso derivatives. Some simple nitrosopyrazoles have been isolated, for example the blue-green 3,5-dimethyl-4-nitrosopyrazole, and many others have been proposed as reactive intermediates in the direct conversion of pyrazoles into diazonium or diazo derivatives (Scheme 25) (B-76MI40402). 

We have already noted (Section 4.04.2.1.4(xi)) that alkyl groups on pyrazoles are oxidized with permanganate to carboxylic acids. Silver nitrate and ammonium persulfate transform 4-ethyl-1-methylpyrazole (436) into the ketone (437) (72JHC1373). The best yield was obtained starting with the alcohol (438) and using an acid dichromate solution as oxidizing agent. 

Dimethylaminopyrazoles react with alkylating agents to afford quaternary salts (72BSF2807). The nitrogen atom of the dimethylamino group is the most reactive in the case of 3-dimethylamino- and 4-dimethylamino-pyrazoles (formation of 456 and 457 salts, respectively) whereas 5-dimethylaminopyrazoles yield aminopyrazolium salts (458). 

The chemical behaviour of the mesoionic pyrazole (459) has been studied by Boyd et al (74JCS(P1)1028). Protonation and alkylation take place on the exocyclic nitrogen atom and a thermal rearrangement of a methyl group is observed when (459) is boiled in benzonitrile for several hours giving (460). 

Arylenamino)-5-ones were converted into a benzodiazepine by Pd/C and H2 while the alkyl counterpart produced a pyrazole and pyrazolone as shown in Scheme 71 <73CB332). 

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