Tetra-n-butylammonium bromide

Although the catalyst with a longer chain length benefits the reaction rate, it is not easy to be recovered. Tetra-n-butylammonium bromide is the best choice. 

Heck reactions can be carried out in the absence of phosphine ligands.141 These conditions usually involve Pd(OAc)2 as a catalyst, along with a base and a phase transfer salt such as tetra-n-butylammonium bromide. These conditions were originally applied to stereospecific coupling of vinyl iodides with ethyl acrylate and methyl vinyl ketone. 

The reduction is performed by treating 2.0 g. (0.0039 mol) of [NiS4C4(CF3)4] with 30 ml. of acetone. The mixture is initially violet but rapidly goes dark green (ca. 30 seconds). After 1 to 2 minutes the solution is diluted with 100 ml. of water and treated with 6 g. of filter aid (Note 1). To this mixture a solution of 2.0 g. of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide in 20 ml. of water is added slowly with stirring. The product separates and adheres to the filter aid. The mixture is agitated for 5 minutes and filtered by suction. The product is first washed with 200 ml. of water and sucked dry for 1 hour. At this... 

The following quaternary ammonium salts are used as phase transfer catalyst tetra-K-butylammonium chloride (TBAC), tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB), benzyltriethylammonium chloride (BTEAC), and benzyltriethylammo-nium bromide (BTEAB). Chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as dichloromethane (DCM), chloroform (CF), tetrachloromethane (TCM), 1,2-dichloromethane (DCE), and nitrobenzene (NB) are used as solvents. The effects of phase-transfer catalyst and solvent on the yield and reduced viscosity are summarized in Table 9.1. 

The ammonium catalyst can also influence the reaction path and higher yields of the desired product may result, as the side reactions are eliminated. In some cases, the structure of the quaternary ammonium cation may control the product ratio with potentially tautomeric systems as, for example, with the alkylation of 2-naph-thol under basic conditions. The use of tetramethylammonium bromide leads to predominant C-alkylation at the 1-position, as a result of the strong ion-pair binding of the hard quaternary ammonium cation with the hard oxy anion, whereas with the more bulky tetra-n-butylammonium bromide O-alkylation occurs, as the binding between the cation and the oxygen centre is weaker [11], Similar effects have been observed in the alkylation of methylene ketones [e.g. 12, 13]. The stereochemistry of the Darzen s reaction and of the base-initiated formation of cyclopropanes under two-phase conditions is influenced by the presence or absence of quaternary ammonium salts [e.g. 14], whereas chiral quaternary ammonium salts are capable of influencing the enantioselectivity of several nucleophilic reactions (Chapter 12). 

Quaternary ammonium salts are generally stable under neutral or acidic conditions up to 150°C, but decomposition can occur with the quaternary ammonium ion acting as an alkylating agent in its reaction with anions (Scheme 1.1). Soft nucleophiles, such as RS, are more reactive with tetra-n-butylammonium bromide and benzyltriethylammonium chloride, although the latter salt also C-benzylates phenyl-acetonitrile under basic conditions [46], These side reactions are considerably slower than the main catalysed reactions with, for example, a haloalkane and the amount of unwanted impurity in the final alkylated product is never greater than the amount of catalyst used (i.e. generally > 2%). Harder anions, e.g. R2N and RO, rarely react with the ammonium salts. 

Activated haloarenes react with potassium thiocyanate under the influence of a quaternary ammonium salt to form the corresponding aryl thiocyanates [61]. Aliquat is preferred over tetra-n-butylammonium bromide for the reactions of fluoro- and iodoarenes but, in all cases, yields are extremely high. 

As an alternative to the use of quaternary ammonium tribromide, A -bromosuccin-imide tetra-n-butylammonium bromide converts alkenes into the dibromoalkanes generally in high yield (>90%) [8]. It is probable that the ammonium tribromide is formed in situ. 

Bromomethylation of arenes using 1,3,5-trioxane and hydrobromic acid is catalysed by the addition of a phase-transfer catalyst. Yields in excess of 90% are attained using (tetradecyl)trimethylammonium bromide under relatively mild conditions for a range of arenes [55]. Tetra-n-butylammonium bromide is ineffective, suggesting the catalytic effect may be micellar. 

The rate and yield of electrophilic coupling of arenediazonium salts with tt-excessive aromatic systems has been found to be enhanced by the addition of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide [56]. 

The highly hydrophilic alcohols, pentaerythritol and 2-ethyl-2-hydroxymethyl-propan-l,3-diol, can be converted into their corresponding ethers in good yields under phase-transfer catalytic conditions [12]. Etherification of pentaerythritol tends to yield the trialkoxy derivative and kinetics of the reaction have been shown to be controlled by the solubility of the ammonium salt of the tris-ether in the organic phase and the equilibrium between the tris-ether and its sodium salt [13]. Total etherification of the tetra-ol is attained in good yield when reactive haloalkanes are used, and tetra-rt-octylammonium, in preference to tetra-n-butylammonium, bromide [12, 13]. 

The combined catalysis by 18-crown-6 and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide produces higher yields in shorter reaction times than either of the catalysts separately (Table 3.7) [21] and almost quantitative yields have been reported for solid solid liquid triphase catalysed esterification using silica impregnated with tetramethylammonium chloride [22]. 

In what appears, initially, to be a closely similar reaction, acid chlorides react with alkyl halides under solidtliquid two-phase conditions using sodium hydrogen carbonate in the presence of sodium iodide and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide [45]. Although the mechanism is not clear, it has been proposed that the acid chloride is initially converted into the carboxylate anion. It is also probable that the halogen interchange between the sodium iodide and the alkyl halides enhances their reactivity. Although the yields are high, the availability of the alkyl halides and alcohols are usually similar and there appears to be little to commend this process over the catalysed reaction of the acid chlorides with the alcohols. 

Ketene dithioacetals are obtained in very good yield (>95%) from the disodium salt of 2-cyanoethene-l,l-dithiolate with a range of alkylating agents in the presence of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide [26]. 

The classical reaction of hydrogen sulphide with nitriles in basic media is catalysed by the addition of, for example, Aliquat or tetra-n-butylammonium bromide [4], The reaction proceeds most rapidly with dilute aqueous solutions of sodium sulphide under l -2 atmospheres of hydrogen sulphide to produce thioamides in good yields (>70%). 

Potentially tautomeric pyrimidines and purines are /V-alkylated under two-phase conditions, using tetra-n-butylammonium bromide or Aliquat as the catalyst [75-77], Alkylation of, for example, uracil, thiamine, and cytosine yield the 1-mono-and 1,3-dialkylated derivatives [77-81]. Theobromine and other xanthines are alkylated at N1 and/or at N3, but adenine is preferentially alkylated at N9 (70-80%), with smaller amounts of the N3-alkylated derivative (20-25%), under the basic two-phase conditions [76]. These observations should be compared with the preferential alkylation at N3 under neutral conditions. The procedure is of importance in the derivatization of nucleic acids and it has been developed for the /V-alkylation of nucleosides and nucleotides using haloalkanes or trialkyl phosphates in the presence of tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride [80], Under analogous conditions, pyrimidine nucleosides are O-acylated [79]. The catalysed alkylation reactions have been extended to the glycosidation of pyrrolo[2,3-r/]pyrimidines, pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridines, and pyrazolo[3,4-r/]pyrimidines (e.g. Scheme 5.20) [e.g. 82-88] as a route to potentially biologically active azapurine analogues. 

Alkyl and glycosyl isocyanates and isothiocyanates are produced in good yield under phase-transfer catalytic conditions using either conventional soluble catalysts or polymer-supported catalysts [32, 33]. Acyl isothiocyanates are obtained under similar conditions [34]. A-Aryl phosphoramidates are converted via their reaction with carbon disulphide under basic conditions into the corresponding aryl isothiocyanates, when the reaction is catalysed by tetra-n-butylammonium bromide [35]. 

The intramolecular cyclization of y-chloro esters, which normally requires strongly basic anhydrous conditions, is accomplished in high yield with aqueous sodium hydroxide and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide in toluene [31], Poor yields result when dichloromethane is used as the solvent. 

Regiospecific mono-C-alkylation (60-90%) of trimethylsilyl enol ethers is promoted by benzyltriethylammonium fluoride [34, 35]. A similar alkylation of tin(IV) enolates is aided by stoichiometric amount of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide and has been utilized in the synthesis of y-iminoketones [36]. Carbanions from weakly acidic carbon acids can be generated by the reaction of their trimethylsilyl derivatives with tetra-n-butylammonium triphenyldifluorosilicate [37] (see also Section 6.3). Such carbanions react readily with haloalkanes. Tautomeric ketones in which the enol form has a high degree of stabilization are O-alkylated to form the enol ether, e.g. methylation of anthrone produces 9-methoxyanthracene [26],... 

Carbanions, generated by the reaction of benzylsilanes with tetra-n-butylammo-nium fluoride react with non-enolizable aldehydes to produce the alcohol [67], When a stoichiometric amount of the ammonium fluoride is used, the methylarene corresponding to the benzylsilane is frequently a by-product and arises from formation of the hydrogen difluoride salt during the reaction. When only catalytic amounts of the ammonium fluoride initiate the reaction, the formation of the methylarene is suppressed. In a similar type of reaction (although the mechanism is not known) between aldehydes and ketones, allyl bromide, and tin in the presence of trimethylsilyl chloride the yield of the but-l-en-4-ol is raised significantly by the addition of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide, particularly in the reactions with... 

Examples of the Michael-type addition of carbanions, derived from activated methylene compounds, with electron-deficient alkenes under phase-transfer catalytic conditions have been reported [e.g. 1-17] (Table 6.16). Although the basic conditions are normally provided by sodium hydroxide or potassium carbonate, fluoride and cyanide salts have also been used [e.g. 1, 12-14]. Soliddiquid two-phase systems, with or without added organic solvent [e.g. 15-18] and polymer-supported catalysts [11] have been employed, as well as normal liquiddiquid conditions. The micellar ammonium catalysts have also been used, e.g. for the condensation of p-dicarbonyl compounds with but-3-en-2-one [19], and they are reported to be superior to tetra-n-butylammonium bromide at low base concentrations. 

As an alternative to the Ullmann reaction, haloarenes are coupled to form the biaryls using palladium acetate in the presence of abase and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide [24], Yields are generally high (>70%) but dehalogenation of the haloarene may also occur as a side reaction. 

The Heck reaction on polymer-bound iodoarenes is assisted by the addition of a catalytic amount of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide and has been employed in the synthesis of 4-carboxycinnamic esters and amides [33], and 4-aminosulphonyl-cinnamic esters [34], It has also been reported that the presence of an equimolar equivalent of benzyltriethylammonium chloride aids the Pd(II)-mediated reaction of A -acyl-2-iodoanilines with vinylidene carbonate, which leads to A -acyl-2-hydroxy-indolines providing a convenient route to the indoles (80-90%) [35], The catalysed reaction of 2-hydroxy- and 2-tosylaminoiodobenzene with 1,2-dienes produces 1,2-dihydrobenzofurans and 1,2-dihydroindoles, respectively [36]. 

A novel aromatic substitution reaction with electron-deficient radicals, which avoids the use of stannanes, is promoted by the addition of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide [54]. Iodoacetonitrile and iodoacetic esters react with pyrroles and indoles in good to high yield upon photolysis in the presence of 2-methyloxirane and sodium thiosulphate (Scheme 6.34). 

Staudinger and Kiipfer s procedure [8] for the generation of diazomethane (Scheme 7.24) has been modified for phase-transfer catalytic conditions [9]. Using tetra-n-butylammonium bromide, a yield of 35% of diazomethane, based on the hydrazine consumed, is obtained (a slightly higher yield can be obtained when 18-crown-6 is used [9]). 

The dehydrohalogenation of 1- or 2-haloalkanes, in particular of l-bromo-2-phenylethane, has been studied in considerable detail [1-9]. Less active haloalkanes react only in the presence of specific quaternary ammonium salts and frequently require stoichiometric amounts of the catalyst, particularly when Triton B is used [ 1, 2]. Elimination follows zero order kinetics [7] and can take place in the absence of base, for example, styrene, equivalent in concentration to that of the added catalyst, is obtained when 1-bromo-2-phenylethane is heated at 100°C with tetra-n-butyl-ammonium bromide [8], The reaction is reversible and 1-bromo-l-phenylethane is detected at 145°C [8]. From this evidence it is postulated that the elimination follows a reverse transfer mechanism (see Chapter 1) [5]. The liquidrliquid two-phase p-elimination from 1-bromo-2-phenylethanes is low yielding and extremely slow, compared with the PEG-catalysed reaction [4]. In contrast, solid potassium hydroxide and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide in f-butanol effects a 73% conversion in 24 hours or, in the absence of a solvent, over 4 hours [3] extended reaction times lead to polymerization of the resulting styrene. 

The cleavage of benzyl ethers using hydrobromic acid is promoted by tetra-n-butylammonium bromide [38]. Selective cleavage of aryl silyl ethers can be effected in the presence of aliphatic silyl ethers using solid sodium hydroxide with tetra-n-butyl-ammonium hydrogen sulphate [39]. 

Sulphoximes are obtained by a facile oxidation of sulphilimines [20], The reaction, which can be conducted in ethyl acetate and/or dichloromethane, is best catalysed by tetra-n-butylammonium bromide or Adogen. Benzyltriethylammonium chloride has no significant catalytic activity. 

The epoxidation of alkenes using iodosylbenzene, with tetra-n-butylammonium bromide and a manganese or cobalt polytungstate as co-catalysts [24], appears to have little advantage as a synthetic procedure over other methods. n-Hexene produces the oxirane (58%), when catalysed by the manganese salt, whereas norbornene is more readily converted (96%) into the oxirane with the cobalt salt. 

Allylic nitro compounds are reduced by carbon disulphide under mild basic catalytic conditions to yield the conjugated oximes (Scheme 11.7) [8]. The reaction is sensitive to the amount of base used, and benzyltriethylammonium chloride appears to be a better catalyst than tetra-n-butylammonium bromide or hydrogen sulphate. Saturated nitro compounds are not reduced under these conditions. 

The regio- and diastereo-selectivity of the Michael addition of 2-phenylcyclo-hexanone with a,p-unsaturated ketones are dependent on the reaction conditions. Mixtures of all six diastereoisomers resulting from reaction at either the 2- or 6-position of the cyclohexanone ring can be obtained using solid potassium hydroxide with tetra-n-butylammonium or A-benzylephcdrinium bromide catalysts. At 20°C with tetra-n-butylammonium bromide, the ratio of the 2,2- and 2,6-disubstituted cyclohexanones is ca. 3 2, but at higher temperatures with solid potassium f-butoxide the kinetically formed 2,6-isomer predominates (ca. 5 1) with the (2S,6R, R )-stereoisomer dominant, whereas greater amounts of the thermodynamically preferred 2,2-(2S,lR )-isomer are obtained with the chiral catalyst [61]. 

Asymmetric induction has been noted [64] when ethyl glycine, protected as its imine by (S)-menthone, is allowed to react with ethyl acrylate under phase-transfer catalytic conditions using tetra-n-butylammonium bromide. An overall yield of 43% was achieved with 46% ee. The stereoselectivity of the reaction was not enhanced when A-benzylquininium or cinchoninium chloride were used and, unlike reactions catalysed by chiral catalysts, the enantiomeric excess increased, when a more polar solvent was used. 

Onium salts, such as tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB) and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB), were also tested as PTCs immobilized on clay. In particular, Montmorillonite KIO modified with TBAB efficiently catalyzed the substitution reaction of a-tosyloxyketones with azide to a-azidoketones, in a biphasic CHCI3/water system (Figure 6.13). ° The transformation is a PTC reaction, where the reagents get transferred from the hquid to the solid phase. The authors dubbed the PTC-modified catalyst system surfactant pillared clay that formed a thin membrane-hke film at the interface of the chloroform in water emulsion, that is, a third liquid phase with a high affinity for the clay. The advantages over traditional nucleophilic substitution conditions were that the product obtained was very pure under these conditions and could be easily recovered without the need for dangerous distillation steps. 

A similar dependence of the first-order rate constants with respect to the quantity of added water has been reported for the reaction of sodium formate with 1,4-dichlorobutane and related displacement reactions, In these studies tetra- n-butylammonium hydrogen sulphate and tetra- n-butylammonium bromide were used as catalysts and chlorobenzene as the solvent. 

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