Thiazole, 2-methyl-, lithiation

Protons on alkyl groups at the 1,3-azole 2-positions are sufficiently acidic for strong base deprotonation,and are more acidic than methyl groups at other positions even the assistance of an or/Ao-related carboxylate is usually insufficient to overcome the intrinsic tendency for 2-methyl-lithiation, though an adjacent tertiary amide can do this. The side-chain metallated derivatives can be utilised in reactions with electrophiles. The presence of a 5-nitro group allows much milder, base-catalysed condensations to occur. The condensation at the 2-methyl of thiazoles proceeds in organic acid solution. ... 

The directed metalation of aromatic systems that was discussed in Section 2.1.3.3 has one ramification that was not mentioned there the directed lithiation of an o-methyl group. Although the resultant species is formally a resonance-stabilized anion, and therefore covered in Volume 2 of this series, we mention it here for consistency with the other topics covered. In particular, the examples that have appeared in recent years involve substrates having a methyl ortho to a tertiary amide. Intentional use of such a directed lithiation has been used in the synthesis of the isocoumarin natural products hydrangenol and pyllodul-cin.137,138 Interestingly, the directed metalation of 5-methyl-oxazoles and -thiazoles occurs in preference to deprotonation at a 2-methyl group (azaenolate) (Scheme 33). ... 

Lithiation of the methyl derivatives of such five-membered heteroaromatics as pyrrole , thiophene , l,3-thiazole ° , 1,3-oxazole , isoxazole , 1,3,4-thiadiazole , 1,3,4-oxadiazole and imidazole also occurs. For the sulfur heterocyclics, ring metallations and ring opening after lithiation are complications. 

Comparative experiments with aryllithium compounds (phenyllithium and para-fluorophenyllithium), however, resulted in low yields of the methyl esters in spite of the fact that a 300 % excess of chloroformic ester had been used. Reactions of C1COOR with lithio derivatives of heterocycles containing an azomethine function (e.g. lithiated thiazole, imidazole, pyridine) cannot succeed, since the excess of chloroformate will react with the basic nitrogen atom. A comparable situation arises if the organolithium intermediate has been generated by means of LDA reaction of C1COOR with the diisopropylamine liberated in the metallation will provide HC1 which will of course inactivate the organolithio compound. 

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