Room temperature racemization

The alkyl azide 118 is reduced to a primary amine by the Pd on carbon-catalyzed reaction of ammonium formate in MeOH at room temperature. No racemization takes place with chiral azides[l 11,112]. 

Structures A and A are nonsuperimposable mirror images of each other Thus although as 1 2 dichloro cyclohexane is chiral it is optically inactive when chair-chair interconversion occurs Such interconver Sion IS rapid at room temperature and converts opti cally active A to a racemic mixture of A and A Because A and A are enantiomers interconvertible by a conformational change they are sometimes re ferred to as conformational enantiomers... 

Trigonal pyramidal molecules are chiral if the central atom bears three different groups If one is to resolve substances of this type however the pyramidal inversion that mterconverts enantiomers must be slow at room temperature Pyramidal inversion at nitrogen is so fast that attempts to resolve chiral amines fail because of their rapid racemization... 

Section 7 16 Atoms other than carbon can be chirality centers Examples include those based on tetracoordmate silicon and Incoordinate sulfur as the chirality center In principle Incoordinate nitrogen can be a chirality center m compounds of the type N(x y z) where x y and z are different but inversion of the nitrogen pyramid is so fast that racemization occurs vrr tually instantly at room temperature... 

Physical Properties. When crystaUized from aqueous solutions above 5°C, natural (R-R, R )-tartaric acid is obtained in the anhydrous form. Below 5°C, tartaric acid forms a monohydrate which is unstable at room temperature. The optical rotation of an aqueous solution varies with concentration. It is stable in air and racemizes with great ease on heating. Some of the physical properties of (R-R, R )-tartaric acid are Hsted in Table 7. 

Diaziridines also show slow nitrogen inversion, and carbon-substituted compounds can be resolved into enantiomers, which typically racemize slowly at room temperature (when Af-substituted with alkyl and/or hydrogen). For example, l-methyl-3-benzyl-3-methyl-diaziridine in tetrachloroethylene showed a half-life at 70 °C of 431 min (69AG(E)212). Preparative resolution has been done both by classical methods, using chiral partners in salts (77DOK(232)108l), and by chromatography on triacetyl cellulose (Section 5.08.2.3.1). 

Although unsynunetrically substituted amines are chiral, the configuration is not stable because of rapid inversion at nitrogen. The activation energy for pyramidal inversion at phosphorus is much higher than at nitrogen, and many optically active phosphines have been prepared. The barrier to inversion is usually in the range of 30-3S kcal/mol so that enantiomerically pure phosphines are stable at room temperature but racemize by inversion at elevated tempeiatuies. Asymmetrically substituted tetracoordinate phosphorus compounds such as phosphonium salts and phosphine oxides are also chiral. Scheme 2.1 includes some examples of chiral phosphorus compounds. 

Racemization has been reported to occur in some Bischler-Napieralski reactions of 1-substituted phenethylamides. However, this racemization can be suppressed by conducting the reactions at lower temperatures (0 °C-rt). For example, the product 49 obtained in reaction of 48 with P2O5 at 140 °C was found to be racemic, whereas the product obtained from a reaction conducted at room temperature retained optical activity. ... 

Optical activity owing to restricted rotation (atropisomerism) has been demonstrated in two phenylthiophenes 2-(6-methyl-2-nitro-phenyI)-3-thiophenecarboxylic acid (41), which rapidly racemized in solution, and 2,5-dimethyl-4- (6 -methyl-2 -nitrophenyl) 3-thio-phenecarboxylic acid (42), which was optically stable (at room temperature). Recently the first bithienyl, 2,2 -dicarboxy-4,4 -dibromo-5,5 -dimethyl-3,3 -bithienyl (43), has been resolved into optical anti-podes which were optically stable. 

Racemic or optically active perhydropyrido[l,2-a]pyrazines were obtained by reduction of 9a5-perhydropyrido[l,2-u]pyrazin-4-one with LAH in Et20 at room temperature (99H(51)2065) and by reduction of perhydropyr-ido[l,2-u]pyrazine-l,4-diones with LAH in boiling THF (97USP5703072, 00JAP(K)00/86659). Treatment of (9uS)-2-(fcrf-butoxycarbonyl)perhydro-pyrido[l,2-u]pyrazin-4-one with LAH in Lt20 afforded (9uS)-2-fcrf-butox-ycarbonyl-l,6,7,8,9,9a-hexahydro-2//-pyrido[l,2-a]pyrazine (99H(51)2065). 

Among the J ,J -DBFOX/Ph-transition(II) metal complex catalysts examined in nitrone cydoadditions, the anhydrous J ,J -DBFOX/Ph complex catalyst prepared from Ni(C104)2 or Fe(C104)2 provided equally excellent results. For example, in the presence of 10 mol% of the anhydrous nickel(II) complex catalyst R,R-DBFOX/Ph-Ni(C104)2, which was prepared in-situ from J ,J -DBFOX/Ph ligand, NiBr2, and 2 equimolar amounts of AgC104 in dichloromethane, the reaction of 3-crotonoyl-2-oxazolidinone with N-benzylidenemethylamine N-oxide at room temperature produced the 3,4-trans-isoxazolidine (63% yield) in near perfect endo selectivity (endo/exo=99 l) and enantioselectivity in favor for the 3S,4J ,5S enantiomer (>99% ee for the endo isomer. Scheme 7.21). The copper(II) perchlorate complex showed no catalytic activity, however, whereas the ytterbium(III) triflate complex led to the formation of racemic cycloadducts. 

Enantioselectivities were found to change sharply depending upon the reaction conditions including catalyst structure, reaction temperature, solvent, and additives. Some representative examples of such selectivity dependence are listed in Scheme 7.42. The thiol adduct was formed with 79% ee (81% yield) when the reaction was catalyzed by the J ,J -DBFOX/Ph aqua nickel(II) complex at room temperature in dichloromethane. Reactions using either the anhydrous complex or the aqua complex with MS 4 A gave a racemic adduct, however, indicating that the aqua complex should be more favored than the anhydrous complex in thiol conjugate additions. Slow addition of thiophenol to the dichloromethane solution of 3-crotonoyl-2-oxazolidinone was ineffective for enantioselectivity. Enantioselectivity was dramatically lowered and reversed to -17% ee in the reaction at -78 °C. A similar tendency was observed in the reactions in diethyl ether and THF. For example, a satisfactory enantioselectivity (80% ee) was observed in the reaction in THF at room temperature, while the selectivity almost disappeared (7% ee) at 0°C. 

In a further example, reductive alkylation of (S)-a-methylben2ylamine with (/ )-tetrahydrofuran-2 Carboxaldehyde over Pt02 to give 11 was achieved without significant racemization. A mixture of 9 and 10 in methanol containing a few drops of acetic acid was let stand at room temperature before Pt02 was added (5),... 

Some workers avoid delay. Pai)adium-on-carbon was used effectively for the reductive amination of ethyl 2-oxo-4-phenyl butanoate with L-alanyl-L-proline in a synthesis of the antihyperlensive, enalapril maleate. SchifTs base formation and reduction were carried out in a single step as Schiff bases of a-amino acids and esters are known to be susceptible to racemization. To a solution of 4,54 g ethyl 2-oxO 4-phenylbutanoate and 1.86 g L-alanyl-L-proline was added 16 g 4A molecular sieve and 1.0 g 10% Pd-on-C The mixture was hydrogenated for 15 hr at room temperature and 40 psig H2. Excess a-keto ester was required as reduction to the a-hydroxy ester was a serious side reaction. The yield was 77% with a diastereomeric ratio of 62 38 (SSS RSS)((55). 

The following is taken from U.S. Patent 3,061,517. Sixteen grams of racemic 3-(2-pYridyl)-3-p-bromophenyl-N,N,-dimethylpropylamine and 9,7 grams of d-phenylsuccinic acid are dissolved in 150 ml of absolute alcohol and kept at room temperature until crystallization is effected. The crystals are filtered, washed with absolute ethyl alcohol, and recrystallized from the same solvent using 5 ml thereof per gram of solid. Three subsequent crystallizations from 80% alcohol give d-3-(2-pYridYl)-3-p-bromophenYl-N,N-dimethylpropYlamine-d-phenylsuccinate MP 152°-154°C 91 (concentration, 1% in dimethylformamide). 

Two mols, for example, 270 grams, of racemic a-methylphenethylamine base are reacted with one mol (150 grams) of d-tartaric acid, thereby forming dl-a-methylphenethylamine d-tartrate, a neutral salt. The neutral salt thus obtained is fully dissolved by the addition of sufficient, say about 1 liter, of absolute ethanol, and heating to about the boiling point. The solution is then allowed to cool to room temperature with occasional stirring to effect crystallization. The crystals are filtered off and will be found to contain a preponderance of the levo enantiomorph. 

A new approach to the resolution of sulphoxides 242 was recently reported by T oda and coworkers282. It takes advantage of the fact that some sulphoxides form crystalline complexes with optically active 2,2 -dihydroxy-l, 1-binaphthyl 243. When a two-molar excess of racemic sulphoxide 242 was mixed with one enantiomeric form of binaphthyl 243 in benzene-hexane and kept at room temperature for 12 h, a 1 1 complex enriched strongly in one sulphoxide enantiomer was obtained. Its recrystallization from benzene followed by chromatography on silica gel using benzene-ethyl acetate as eluent gave optically pure sulphoxide. However, methyl phenyl sulphoxide was poorly resolved by this procedure and methyl o-tolyl, methyl p-tolyl, s-butyl methyl and i-propyl methyl sulphoxides did not form complexes with 243. 

A. fi(-)-a-(l-Naphthyl)ethylamine. A mixture of 58.44 g. (0.20 mole) of (-)-2,3 4,6-di-0-isopropylidene-2-keto-L-gulonic acid hydrate [(-)-DAG] (Note 1) and 1.7 1. of acetone (Note 2) is placed in a 3-1. Erlenmeyer flask. A boiling chip is added, and the mixture is heated to a gentle boil. To the resulting hot solution is added cautiously but rapidly, over a 1 minute period, 34.24 g. (0.20 mole) of racemic y.- 1 -naphthyl)et hylamine (Note 3) in 100 ml. of acetone. The mixture is allowed to stand at room temperature for approximately 4 hours. The (-)-amine (-)-DAG salt is filtered with suction, washed with 100 ml. of acetone, and dried in a vacuum oven at 60° to constant weight. The yield of the crude (-)-amine (-)DAG salt is 73-76 g., m.p. 205-207° (decomp.) (Note 4), [a]p —14.2° (c 1.01%, methanol). For crystallization, the crude salt and 4.2 1. of ethanol (Note 5) are placed in a 5-1. round-bottomed flask fitted with a reflux condenser and a mechanical stirrer. The mixture is stirred and heated at reflux... 

Kim and Park subsequently reported that ruthenium precatalyst (2) racemizes alcohols svithin 30 minutes at room temperature [23]. However, when combined... 

As far as "racemization" is concerned, we checked further the optical stability of representative 2-bromoamides. Whereas (S)-2-bromopropananilide or the aprotic (S)-2-bromo-N-methylpropananilide are stable in ethanol or ethanolic triethylamine, slow racemisation was observed, at room temperature, for the latter compound (oil) and for both ones in ethanolic HCl (1-5 mol.). 

In the racemic version, the reaction of various terminal alkynes 105 with nitrones 106 was carried out using 10 mol % of Cul in pyridine-DMF at room temperature. As expected, the corresponding azetidinones 107 were formed as a mixture of trans and czs-isomers, along with the imines 108 (Scheme 30). 

The method is not restricted to secondary aryl alcohols and very good results were also obtained for secondary diols [39], a- and S-hydroxyalkylphosphonates [40], 2-hydroxyalkyl sulfones [41], allylic alcohols [42], S-halo alcohols [43], aromatic chlorohydrins [44], functionalized y-hydroxy amides [45], 1,2-diarylethanols [46], and primary amines [47]. Recently, the synthetic potential of this method was expanded by application of an air-stable and recyclable racemization catalyst that is applicable to alcohol DKR at room temperature [48]. The catalyst type is not limited to organometallic ruthenium compounds. Recent report indicates that the in situ racemization of amines with thiyl radicals can also be combined with enzymatic acylation of amines [49]. It is clear that, in the future, other types of catalytic racemization processes will be used together with enzymatic processes. 

The penicillin-N,S-acetal 479 reacts with N,N-bis(trimethylsilyl)formamide 22c and Hg(OAc)2, apparently via the iminium salt 480, to give the penicillin-N,N-acetal 481 in 65% yield [64]. On treatment of racemic y-ketoesters such as 482 with chiral silylated 1,3-mercaptoalcohols such as 483, in the presence of TMSOTf 20, at room temperature a kinetically controlled 2 1 mixture of the 0,S-acetals... 

Abbreviations Cy, cyclohexylidene DNP, 2,4-dinitrophenyl Py, pyridine TIPS, -(PrOjSiOSilPrOj- rac., racemate r.t., room temperature A, reaction in dichloromethane B, reaction in benzene D, reaction in diglyme T, reaction in toluene. Yields are described in the order of products, drawn from the left to the right. The sum of the last two compounds. Inserted as a reference reaction. 

In an effort directed at developing a racemization catalyst which works uniformly for all the substrates at room temperature, we designed and synthesized a novel aminocyclopentadienyl ruthenium chloride complex 5. The DKR of aromatic as well as aliphatic alcohols could be conducted at room temperature. In case of aromatic alcohols, the substituent effects were found insignificant in the DKR however, aromatic alcohols have comparatively faster conversion rates than their ahphatic counterparts. This is the first ever report of a catalyst... 

The (5 )-selective DKR of alcohols with subtilisin was also possible in ionic liquid at room temperature (Table 14). " In this case, the cymene-ruthenium complex 3 was used as the racemization catalyst. In general, the optical purities of (5 )-esters were lower than those of (R)-esters described in Table 5. 

The hydrogenation of methyl pyruvate proceeded over 4% Pd/Fe20 at 293 K and 10 bar when the catalyst was prepared by reduction at room temperature Racemic product was obtained over utunodified catalyst, modification of the catalyst with a cinchona alkaloid reduced reaction rate and rendered the reaction enantioselective. S-lactate was formed in excess when the modifier was cinchonidine, and R-lactate when the modifier was cinchonine... 

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