Radicals, acyl decarboxylation

Some homolytic fragmentation reactions are driven by formation of small, stable molecules. Alkyl acyloxyl radicals (RCOp decarboxylate rapidly (fe > 1 x 10 s ) to give alkyl radicals, and even aryl acyloxyl radicals (ArCOp decarboxylate to aryl radicals with rate constants in the 10 s range." Azo radicals produced in the homolysis of azo initiators eliminate nitrogen rapidly. Elimination of carbon monoxide from acyl radicals occurs but is slow enough (fe 10" -10 such that the acyl radical can be trapped in a bimolecular process,... 

Finally, as examples of similar types of reactions, photolytic treatment of O-acyl ester (D) of benzophenone oxime, A-acyloxy-phthalimide (E), and O-acyl ester (F) of A-hydroxy-2-pyridone with a mercury lamp generates the corresponding alkyl radicals via decarboxylation. However, these reactions can be used only for the alkylation of aromatics (solvents such as benzene) and reduction [86-89], so their synthetic utility is extremely limited. 

Acyl radicals. Acyl radicals obtained by the oxidation of aldehydes or the oxidative decarboxylation of -keto acids react selectively at the - or -position to the nitrogen of protonated pyridines, quinolines, pyrazines, and quinoxalines, in yields typically in the range 4070% for example, 4-cyanopyridine gives 2-benzoyl-4-cyanopyridine in 96% yield <2003JHC325>. Similarly, pyridines can be carbamoylated in acid media at C(2)/C(4) (Scheme 53). 

The decarboxylation reaction of alkoxyacyl radicals and the related (methoxy)thio-acyl, (methylthio)acyl and (methylthio)thioacyl radicals have been investigated by ab initio methods. Transition states for the decarboxylations have been calculated, and for alkoxyacyl radicals the decarboxylations were found to be significantly exothermic. Calculations indicated that (alkoxy)thioacyl radicals should also provide synthetically useful -fragmentation reactions. ... 

Reaction 21 is the decarbonylation of the intermediate acyl radical and is especially important at higher temperatures it is the source of much of the carbon monoxide produced in hydrocarbon oxidations. Reaction 22 is a bimolecular radical reaction analogous to reaction 13. In this case, acyloxy radicals are generated they are unstable and decarboxylate readily, providing much of the carbon dioxide produced in hydrocarbon oxidations. An in-depth article on aldehyde oxidation has been pubHshed (43). 

Acyl radicals can fragment with toss of carbon monoxide. Decarbonylation is slower than decarboxylation, but the rate also depends on the stability of the radical that is formed. For example, when reaction of isobutyraldehyde with carbon tetrachloride is initiated by t-butyl peroxide, both isopropyl chloride and isobutyroyl chloride are formed. Decarbonylation is competitive with the chlorine-atom abstraction. 

In the case of acyltellurides bearing sec- and tert-alkyl substituents, the decarboxylation of CO from the acyl radical competes with the imidoylation. Such a drawback is avoided by conducting the reaction under CO pressure (50 atm). 

Two sources of acyl radicals have proved to be useful for the homolytic acylation of protonated heteroaromatic bases the oxidation of aldehydes and the oxidative decarboxylation of a-keto acids. The oxidation... 

Acyl radicals have been obtained from a-keto acids by silver-catalyzed decarboxylation with peroxydisulfate. Decarboxylation takes place easily and can be interpreted according to Scheme 10. 

Minisci-type substitution is one of the most useful reactions for the synthesis of alkyl- and acyl-substituted heteroaromatics. The acyl radicals are formed by the redox decomposition from aldehyde and /-butyl hydroperoxide or by silver-catalyzed decarboxylation of a a-keto acid with persulfate. Synthesis of acylpyrazines 70 as ant pheromones are achieved by this methodology using trialkyl-substituted pyrazines 69 with the acyl radicals generated from aldehydes or a-keto acids (Equation 10) <1996J(P1)2345>. The latter radicals are highly effective for the acylation. Homolytic alkylation of 6-chloro-2-cyanopyrazine 71 is performed by silver-catalyzed decarboxylation of alkanoic acids to provide 5-alkyl-substituted pyrazines 72 (Scheme 18) <1996CCC1109>. 

Protonated pyridines and derivatives readily undergo acylation at C-2 or C-4 (Table 28) (76MI20503). Acyl radicals are usually generated either by hydrogen abstraction from aldehydes (Scheme 210), or by oxidative decarboxylation of a-keto acids (Scheme 211). In the former case (Scheme 210) with acridine as the substrate, reduction can take place to give a dihydroacridine. 

Pyridine-2-thione-A-oxycarbonyl (PTOC) derivatives of carboxylic esters 53 were developed by Barton et al. and serve as a convenient source of acyloxyl radicals, which upon decarboxylation provide specific routes to free radicals (equation 82). This process can also proceed by a radical addition (equation 83). Acyl selenides (54) are a convenient source of acyl radicals, which can undergo decarbonylation also giving specific free radicals (equation 84). ° ... 

Alkyl radicals for such reactions are available from many sources such as acyl peroxides, alkyl hydroperoxides, particularly by the oxidative decarboxylation of carboxylic acids using peroxy-disulfate catalyzed by silver. Pyridine and various substituted pyridines have been alkylated in the 2-position in high yield by these methods. Quinoline similarly reacts in the 2-, isoquinoline in the 1-, and acridine in the 9-position. Pyrazine and quinoxaline also give high yields of 2-substituted alkyl derivatives <74AHC(16)123). 

Another useful aspect of the radical chemistry associated with thiocarbonyl compounds is the decarboxylation of acids. Typically the acyl derivatives (2) of /V-hydroxypyridine-2-thione (1) are prepared from the appropriate acid [243], and treated with tributyltin hydride. 

Another example is represented by the oxidative decarboxylation of oc-ketoacids in the presence of the S2082 /Ag+ redox system, which leads to the formation of acyl radicals by means of the intermediate Ag2+ (Equations 14.5 and 14.6) [10]. In this case, the re-aromatization of the ring can occur according to two parallel paths oxidation by persulfate (Scheme 14.1a) and by Ag(II) (Scheme 14.1b). Thus, this system needs more than the stoichiometric quantity of persulfate, as it both reacts... 

Carboxylic acids are the most general, versatile and useful source of carbon-centered radicals successfully used for selective alkylation and acylation of protonated heteroarenes. Alkyl, acyl, carbamoyl, and alkoxycarbonyl radicals have been obtained by oxidative decarboxylation of the corresponding acids with peroxydisulfate as an oxidant and Ag(I) as catalyst. 

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