Reacting with Knoevenagel Condensation

In a sophisticated variation of the Knoevenagel condensation ("Panizzi ) methyl 3,3-dimethoxypropanoate (from ketene and dimethoxymethenium tetrafluoroborate D.J. Crosby, 1962) is used as a d -reagent. Because only one carbonyl group activates the methylene group, a strong base with no nucleophilic properties (p. 10) has to be used. A sodium-sand mixture, which presumably reacts to form silicate anions in the heat, was chosen... 

The cyanoacryhc esters are prepared via the Knoevenagel condensation reaction (5), in which the corresponding alkyl cyanoacetate reacts with formaldehyde in the presence of a basic catalyst to form a low molecular weight polymer. The polymer slurry is acidified and the water is removed. Subsequendy, the polymer is cracked and redistilled at a high temperature onto a suitable stabilizer combination to prevent premature repolymerization. Strong protonic or Lewis acids are normally used in combination with small amounts of a free-radical stabilizer. 

A second, even more worrying problem is the side reaction, the formation of condensation products. This process is essentially irreversible in most cases. The condensation products can arise either from the aldol product or directly through a Knoevenagel-Mannich type reaction where the enamine reacts with an imininm ion [26, 81, 82]. The condensation process requires only an external Brpnsted acid, whereas the aldol process appears to require simultaneous activation of the carbonyl electrophile by an internal Brpnsted acid/hydrogen bond donor (Scheme 15). 

Trimethoprim has also been synthesized by condensing 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde with malonic acid dinitrile in a Knoevenagel reaction, which forms the derivative (33.1.53), which is partially reduced to the enamine (33.1.54) by hydrogen using a palladium on carbon catalyst, which upon being reacted with guanidine is transformed into trimethoprim [52,53]. 

Whereas Knoevenagel condensation of 17-oxo-steroids occurs readily, 16a-substituted-16-methylene-17-oxo-steroids are unreactive. The enamine (111), however, reacted with CH(CN)2 to give mainly the aromatic compounds (112) by the mechanism outlined in Scheme 2. ... 

Most C,H-acidic compounds can be condensed with aldehydes or ketones to yield alkenes. Some of these reactions have also been realized on insoluble supports, with either the C,H-acidic (nucleophilic) reactant or the electrophilic reactant linked to the support. Some illustrative examples are listed in Table 5.6. Polystyrene-bound malonic esters or amides, cyanoacetamides, nitroacetic ester [95], and 3-oxo esters undergo Knoevenagel condensation with aromatic or aliphatic aldehydes. Catalytic amounts of piperidine and heating are generally required, although reactive substrates can react at room temperature. 

The presence of substituents in the vinyl group of vinylthiophenes modifies reactivity. The vinylthiophene 70, obtained via a Knoevenagel condensation from 2-thienylacetonitrile and acetaldehyde as an 87 13 E-Z mixture, reacted with DMAD (11 days at reflux in acetonitrile) to give the adducts 71, 72, and 73 (87T991). The surprising compound 73 could be formed through the ene intermediate 74. 

As a final example it should be mentioned that precondensed enones, prepared by standard Knoevenagel condensation of the aldehyde with the CH-acidic carbonyl component, when reacted with thioureas provided 1,3-thiazines 37, which are isomeric to thio-Biginelli compounds of the general formula 14 (see Figure 4.5). A published report describes the combinatorial synthesis of a library of 29 derivatives of thiazines 37 utilizing polymer-supported reagents and catalysts [168]. 

Attempts to react enol(ate)s of esters with aliphatic aldehydes are doomed as the aldehyde will simply condense with itself. If the ester is replaced by a malonate 60, there is so much enol(ate) from the (5-dicarbonyl compound that the reaction is good. This style of aldol reaction is often called a Knoevenagel reaction10 and needs only a buffered mixture of amine and carboxylic acid. The enol reacts with the aldehyde 61 in the usual way and enolisation of the product 62 usually means that dehydration occurs under the conditions of the reaction. 

In a one-pot three-component reaction, aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds react to form 2-amino-5-carboxy-4-aryl-47/-pyran-3-carbonitriles 87. The reaction proceeds by an initial Knoevenagel condensation of malononitrile with the aromatic aldehyde to afford the 2-benzylidenemalononitrile intermediate 88. Michael addition of the activated methylene group forms the 1,5-dicarbonyl equivalent 89, which upon ring closure affords 477-pyrans (Scheme 29) <2004SL871, 1999H(51)1101 >. 

Iminium catalysis directly utilizes the higher reactivity of the iminium ion in comparison to the carbonyl species and facilitates Knoevenagel-type condensations, cyclo- and nucleophilic additions, and cleavage of cr-bonds adjacent to the a-carbon. Enamine catalysis on the other hand involves catalytically generated enamine intermediates that are formed via deprotonation of an iminium ion, and react with various electrophiles or undergo pericyclic reactions. ... 

Malonic acid itself can react with aldehydes in the presence of piperidine by way of a Knoevenagel condensation. A decarboxylation occurs after the condensation, and this decarboxylation cannot be avoided. Figure 13.55 shows how the overall reaction can be employed for the synthesis of cinnamic or sorbic acid. This reaction sequence occurs under much milder conditions than the Perkin synthesis of cinnamic acids. (The Perkin synthesis consists of the condensation of aromatic aldehydes with acetic acid anhydride in the presence of sodium acetate.)... 

Selenophene-2-aldehyde takes part in the Hantzsch synthesis [Eq. (I)]108 and reacts readily with ammonia, aromatic amines and diamines,109 hippuric, barbituric, and malonic acids, malononitrile,70 and rhodanine.109 /3-(Selenien-2-yl)acrylic acid has been obtained from selenophene-2-aldehyde by the Perkin reaction and by Knoevenagel condensation with malonic acid.70 Esters of /9-(selenien-2-yl)acrylic acid are easily formed by condensation of the aldehyde... 

Fused thiazolopyridazinones such as 96 and 97 were obtained from anilines which were converted to phenyl diazonium salts and reacted with ethyl acetoacetate to prepare phenyl hydrazones 98 (Scheme 23). These compounds participated in a Knoevenagel-type condensation with ethyl cyanoacetate to provide pyridazinones... 

Pavolini (118) who prepared curcumin by condensation of acetylacetone with vanilline. He observed that Knoevenagel condensation, one of the main side reactions, could be suppressed by adding boric oxide. This method was further developed by Pabon (119) who first prepared a complex from acetylacetone and boric anhydride and reacted the product with vanilline in the presence of triisopropyl borate and butylamine. Yields calculated on vanilline were thus improved from 10% to 80%. Besides several other indutrial applications (120-123) the method was also used for the synthesis of dihydroyashabushiketol (6) (11) and the tetramethylether of oregonin (11) (14). By selective alkylation of acetylacetone at C-3 Pedersen and associates exploited the above method for the preparation of a series of non-natural diaiylheptanoids substituted at C-4 (124). 

The Knoevenagel condensation is a base-catalyzed aldol-type reaction, and the exact mechanism depends on the substrates and the type of catalyst used. The first proposal for the mechanism was set forth by A.C.O. Hann and A. Lapworth Hann-Lapworth mechanism) In 1904." When tertiary amines are used as catalysts, the formation of a p-hydroxydlcarbonyl Intermediate is expected, which undergoes dehydration to afford the product. On the other hand, when secondary or primary amines are used as catalyst, the aldehyde and the amine condense to form an Imlnlum salt that then reacts with the enolate. Finally, a 1,2-ellmlnatlon gives rise to the desired a,p-unsaturated dicarbonyl or related compounds. The final product may undergo a Michael addition with the excess enolate to give a bis adduct. 

The catalytic activity of proton sponge in the Knoevenagel reaction has been studied227. It was shown that benzaldehyde, in the presence of 2 mol% of 1, reacts with ethyl cyanoacetate and ethyl acetoacetate (equation 22). The condensation is accelerated in polar solvents (especially in DMSO) and does not occur in the case of diethyl malonate, as its CH-acidity is too low (pK = 13.3). 

In the Knoevenagel condensation reaction, the anion is derived from a compound of the general formula CH2X2, where X is a -M group, such as an ester. The resultant anion then reacts with a... 

The Knoevenagel condensation was also performed with MCM-41-(6112)3-NH-(CH2)2-NH2 catalyst prepared through post-modification methodology/ utilizing (2-aminomethylaminopropyl)trimethoxysilane. Various aldehydes and ketones were reacted with malononitrile and ethyl cyanoacetate (Scheme 3.21, R =R = CN and R CN, R = EtOCO) in all the reactions total conversions were achieved in toluene with exclusive formation of dehydrated products (75-100% yield). Interestingly, both aliphatic and aromatic carbonyl compounds showed identical reactivity in the reaction with ethyl cyanoacetate and the substitution on the aromatic ring did not influence the reactivity. 

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