1.2.3- Triazole 3-oxides, bromination chlorination

The oxide group mildly activates 3-substituted 1,2,3-triazole 1-oxides to electrophilic attack. Thus, 3-benzyl-1,2,3-triazole 1-oxide reacted much more rapidly than the unoxidized compound in giving the 5-bromo derivative, and there have been a number of other examples of 5-bromination and 5-chlorination of triazole oxides, including that of the 3-phenyl-l-oxide, which was not para-halogenated [87ACS(B)724]. 

The nucleophilic substitution of 1,2,3-triazole is also activated by A-oxidation. In 3-substituted 1,2,3-triazole 1-oxides, a halogen substituent at C(4) is more reactive than one at C(5) <87ACS(B)724>. Therefore, the C(4) chlorine of compound (221) (Equation (19)) is displaced by methoxide under much milder conditions than the corresponding C(5) chlorine of (222) (Scheme 39), and the only C(5) bromine is displaced in the case of 4,5-dibromotriazole 1-oxide <88BSB573>. 

The 4-chloro-substituted triazole 1-oxide 470 could be chlorinated and brominated at the 5-position affording 471 or 472 in excellent yield (1987ACSA(B)724). Even the 3-phenyl compound 470 (R=Ph) reacted regioselectively in the triazole ring confirming the activation conveyed by the N-oxide functionality (Scheme 137). 

While 5-chloro-l,2,3-triazole 1-oxide 467 reacted with sodium methox-ide with replacement of the chlorine (see Section 4.1.6.8), the corresponding bromo compound 468 under similar conditions afforded the cme-substitution product 483 as the main product (1987ACSA(B)724). A mechanism involving halogen dance and supported by control experiments is sketched in Scheme 142. The bromine in 468 is located at the less activated position with respect to nucleophilic displacement. On the other... 

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