Thallium trifluoroacetate quinones

Whilst direct electrophilic hydroxylation of the arylthallium species can be effected using peroxytriflu-oroacetic acid, further oxidation of the phenol to a quinone accompanies this process. This over-oxidation can be avoided by initial transmetallation to a lead species with concomitant reduction of the thallium trifluoroacetate (TTFA) by triphenylphosphine, followed by displacement of the lead by trifluo-roacetate to give the aryl trifluoroacetate. lliis hydroxylation method has yet to find use in the synthesis of molecules which are more complex than simple arenes. 

Thallium trifluoroacetate has not enjoyed widespread use as a reagent for quinone synthesis, possibly because it is still a relatively new reagent but more probably because of its toxicity. One example of its use lies in the synthesis of metacyclophanes and related compounds as reported by Tashiro et al Thus the r-butylphenol (59) gave the bisquinone (61), while the phenol (60) afforded the monoquinone (62). An alternative and more practical synthesis of the bisquinone (61) for large scale work involved dealkylation to afford the bisphenol (63) which was then treated with sodium nitrite to give the bisoxime (64). Hydrolysis of the bisoxime did not give the quinone (61), but it could be obtained by zinc/acetic acid reduction of the bisoxime followed by oxidation with nitric acid (Scheme 13). 

Aryl coupling to a benzylic site has also been observed the monophenol (67) yielded the aryltetralin (68 55%), with thallium trifluoroacetate-boron trifluoride. Probably oxidation to quinone methide precedes the ring closure. Separate oxidation and cyclization steps were employed in the synthesis of ( )-thaliphotphine acetate. ( )-Codamine (69) underwent Wessely oxidation with lead tetraacetate to the acetoxycyclohexadienone (70), which closed in acetic anhydride-acid to ( )-thaliphorphine acetate (71), albeit in modest overall yield (14%). ... 

Thallium carboxylates, particularly the acetate and trifluoroacetate, which can be obtained by dissolution of the oxide in the acid, are extensively used in organic chemistry.14 Both Tl metal and Tl1 salts such as the acetylaceton-ate also have specific uses. One example is the use of thallium(m) acetate in controlled bromination of organic substances such as anisole. The trifluoroacetate will directly thallate (cf. aromatic mercuration, Section 18-9) aromatic compounds to give aryl thallium ditrifluoroacetates, e.g., C6H5Tl(OOCCF3)2. It also acts as an oxidant, inter alia converting para-substituted phenols into p-quinones. 

Oxidation of phenols and hydroqumones. Mercuric oxide in methanol oxidizes these substances to quinones. Mercury(II) trifluoroacetate can also be used, but then an acid scavenger is necessary tO neutralize the trifluoroacetic acid formed. The oxidation is analogous to that with thallium(III) salts. Yields in the oxidation of p-hydroquinones with HgO are in the range 70-95%. 

Oxidative phenol-benzyl coupling. The key step in a new total synthesis of ( )-picropodophyllone (3) involves oxidation of the phenol 1 with thallium(III) trifluoroacetate in the presence of BF3 etherate in CH2CI2 at 20°. After work-up, which included bisulfite reduction and methylation, the diester (2) was obtained in 55% yield. Some evidence suggests that the cyclization proceeds through a p-quinone methide (a). 

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