Substitution reactions catalytic benzylic alkylation

The application of phase-transfer catalysis to the Williamson synthesis of ethers has been exploited widely and is far superior to any classical method for the synthesis of aliphatic ethers. Probably the first example of the use of a quaternary ammonium salt to promote a nucleophilic substitution reaction is the formation of a benzyl ether using a stoichiometric amount of tetraethylammonium hydroxide [1]. Starks mentions the potential value of the quaternary ammonium catalyst for Williamson synthesis of ethers [2] and its versatility in the synthesis of methyl ethers and other alkyl ethers was soon established [3-5]. The procedure has considerable advantages over the classical Williamson synthesis both in reaction time and yields and is certainly more convenient than the use of diazomethane for the preparation of methyl ethers. Under liquidrliquid two-phase conditions, tertiary and secondary alcohols react less readily than do primary alcohols, and secondary alkyl halides tend to be ineffective. However, reactions which one might expect to be sterically inhibited are successful under phase-transfer catalytic conditions [e.g. 6]. Microwave irradiation and solidrliquid phase-transfer catalytic conditions reduce reaction times considerably [7]. 

Lund and coworkers [131] pioneered the use of aromatic anion radicals as mediators in a study of the catalytic reduction of bromobenzene by the electrogenerated anion radical of chrysene. Other early investigations involved the catalytic reduction of 1-bromo- and 1-chlorobutane by the anion radicals of trans-stilhene and anthracene [132], of 1-chlorohexane and 6-chloro-l-hexene by the naphthalene anion radical [133], and of 1-chlorooctane by the phenanthrene anion radical [134]. Simonet and coworkers [135] pointed out that a catalytically formed alkyl radical can react with an aromatic anion radical to form an alkylated aromatic hydrocarbon. Additional, comparatively recent work has centered on electron transfer between aromatic anion radicals and l,2-dichloro-l,2-diphenylethane [136], on reductive coupling of tert-butyl bromide with azobenzene, quinoxaline, and anthracene [137], and on the reactions of aromatic anion radicals with substituted benzyl chlorides [138], with... 

Catalytic hydrogenation with platinum liberates the hydrocarbon from methylcobalamin (57) and from alkyl-Co-DMG complexes (161), but not from pentacyanides with primary alkyl, vinyl, or benzyl ligands, though the cr-allyl complex yields propylene (109). Sodium sand gives mixtures of hydrocarbons with the alkyl-Co-salen complexes (64). Dithioerythritol will liberate methane from a variety of methyl complexes [cobalamin, DMG, DMG-BF2, G, DPG, CHD, salen, and (DO)(DOH)pn] (156), as will 1,4-butanedithiol from the DMG complex (157), and certain unspecified thiols will reduce DMG complexes with substituted alkyl ligands (e.g., C0-CH2COOH ->CH3C00H) (163, 164). Reaction with thiols can also lead to the formation of thioethers (see Section C,3). 

Typically, stoichiometric amounts of a Lewis acid such as AICI3 are required and produce stoichiometric amounts of salts and mineral acids (HX) as side products. Furthermore, undesired side reactions such as multiple alkylations and a low functional group tolerance are observed. With the need for more environmentally and economically benign processes, the development of Friedel-Crafts-type reactions using catalytic amounts of a Lewis acid catalyst is desirable. In addition, the substitution of benzyl halides for other environmentally friendly alkylating reagents constitutes an attractive goal. In particular, benzyl alcohols are suitable... 

Amino Alcohol Catalyzed Alkylation. (—)-3-exo-(Dimethylamino)-isobomeol [( —)-DAIB] is a sterically restrained jS-dialkylamino alcohol that has proven to be an extremely efficient catalyst 13). For instance, in the presence of 2 mol % of (—)-DAIB, the reaction of benzaldehyde and diethylzinc proceeds smoothly to give, after aqueous workup, (5)-1 -phenyl-1 -propanol in 98% ee and in 97% yield along with a small amount of benzyl alcohol (Scheme 9). Nonpolar solvents such as toluene, hexane, ether, or their mixtures produce satisfactory results. The optical yield in toluene is affected by temperature and decreases from 98% at —20°C to less than 95% at 50°C. The catalytic enantioselective reaction has been extended to a range of alkylating agents and aldehyde substrates, which are summarized in Scheme 10 (75). p-Substituted ben-... 

Normally, the most practical vinyl substitutions are achieved by use of the oxidative additions of organic bromides, iodides, diazonium salts or triflates to palladium(0)-phosphine complexes in situ. The organic halide, diazonium salt or triflate, an alkene, a base to neutralize the acid formed and a catalytic amount of a palladium(II) salt, usually in conjunction with a triarylphosphine, are the usual reactants at about 25-100 C. This method is useful for reactions of aryl, heterocyclic and vinyl derviatives. Acid chlorides also react, usually yielding decarbonylated products, although there are a few exceptions. Likewise, arylsulfonyl chlorides lose sulfur dioxide and form arylated alkenes. Aryl chlorides have been reacted successfully in a few instances but only with the most reactive alkenes and usually under more vigorous conditions. Benzyl iodide, bromide and chloride will benzylate alkenes but other alkyl halides generally do not alkylate alkenes by this procedure. 

Thiocyanate ion was found to open iV-tosylaziridines in the presence of catalytic amounts of LiC104 in acetonitrile.48 When a benzyl substituent was present, the. S N reaction occurred at the benzyl carbon of the aziridine ring but at the less-substituted carbon when the substituent on the aziridine ring was alkyl. Every substitution product had a trans stereochemistry. 

Sodium tetraethylaluminate and lithium tetrabutylaluminate alkylate oxiranes stereo- and regioselectively. In the case of aliphatic oxiranes, the reaction takes place on the less-substituted carbon atom, while in the case of a phenyl substituent, it occurs at the benzylic position, always with inversion. In the presence of a catalytic quantity of nickel salt, the reaction is accelerated considerably. 

Direct replacement of an amino group by hydrogen is possible only in certain cases. Such reductive fissions are particularly well known for tertiary amines and quaternary ammonium compounds and occur especially readily with allyl- and benzyl-substituted amines. In the last-mentioned cases the benzyl group is removed as toluene, and this reaction route is used for preparation of secondary from primary aliphatic amines the primary amine is first condensed with benzaldehyde, and the resulting Schiff base is reduced to the alkylbenzylamine this is converted by alkylation into the dialkylbenzyl-amine, from which finally the benzyl group is removed by catalytic hydrogenation 544... 

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