Williamson alkylation

The Williamson alkylation of benzoin and deoxybenzoin, using procedure 3.1.1.B, produces dialkoxystilbenes and alkoxystilbenes (>90%), respectively, together with lesser amounts of C,0-dialkylated and C-alkylated derivatives [18]. The yields are... 

Typically, reactions are carried out open to air, at room temperature (rt), using a mixture of tBuOH/water (9 1) or MeCN/water (9 1) as solvent and sodium or potassium hydroxide as base. The presence of water suppresses undesired side reactions (e.g., Cannizzaro reaction, Williamson alkylation, solvent reactivity) [37]. Benzyl bromides are most commonly reported as the halide component. 

Finally, ether linkage can also be obtained from the corresponding halides. In that case, classical Williamson alkylation proceeds smoothly and can afford more complex TSOSs bearing benzaldehyde moieties [32] or benzylic alcohol [33] (Fig. 13). 

Due to the attractivity of this method several groups have developed onium salt supported versions of classical reactions. For example, starting from hydroxyl derived imidazolium salts, formation of supported acrylates with acryloyl chloride followed by reaction with diene in refluxing toluene afforded Diels Alder adduct in good yields (>65%). After saponification, products are isolated without further purification [127], Alternatively, starting from carboxylic acid derived imidazolium salts, acyl chloride formation with thionyl chloride in acetonitrile, followed by reaction with 4-aminophenol led to supported N-arylamide. Williamson alkylation using NaOH as a base and subsequent cleavage from the onium salt support under acidic condition (HCI/I I2()/ AcOH) allowed for isolation of various alkoxy substituted anilines with >98% purity... 

The ether link has also been used to give ionic hquids bearing Wang-type hnkers via the Williamson alkylation [39,40] (Scheme 5.5-20). 

Introduction of a hydroxymethyl group at the ethylene bridge of EDOT represents an alternative and practical approach for the functionalization of EDOT [79], After the introduction of functional groups was performed by Williamson alkylation or esterification reaction starting from 16 (Scheme 9.15), anodic oxidation led to the corresponding polymers. 

Most reports remark that the best reaction environment is a (sometimes triphasic) mixture of polar solvents, like t-BuOH/H O or CH CN/H O in proportions of 9 1, in presence of the bases like NaOH or KOH at room temperature [146]. These conditions reduce the possibilities of side reactions (e.g. Cannizzaro reaction, Williamson alkylation, reaction with solvent) [181]. Kinetic studies demonstrated that this reaction has two slow steps the alkylation (formation of sulfonium salt from the catalytic sulfide) and the addition of the ylide to the carbonyl compound [184]. 

Williamson ether synthesis Alkyl halides react with sodium or potassium alkoxides or phenox-ides to give ethers. 

Mixed ethers may be prepared by the interaction of an. alkyl halide and a sodium alkoxide (Williamson s synthesis), for example ... 

Diazomethane alkylation of A-4-thiazoline-2-ones (36, 214) or the Williamson reaction of 2-halogenothiazoles (6. 287-300) provide good yields of 2-alkoxythiazole otherwise obtained by reaction between O-esters of monothiocarbamic acid with a-halocarbonyl compounds (see Chapter II). 

A long standing method for the preparation of ethers is the Williamson ether synthesis Nucleophilic substitution of an alkyl halide by an alkoxide gives the carbon-oxygen bond of an ether... 

Preparation of ethers by the Williamson ether synthesis is most successful with methyl and primary alkyl halides... 

Both reactants m the Williamson ether synthesis usually originate m alcohol pre cursors Sodium and potassium alkoxides are prepared by reaction of an alcohol with the appropriate metal and alkyl halides are most commonly made from alcohols by reaction with a hydrogen halide (Section 4 7) thionyl chloride (Section 4 13) or phosphorus tri bromide (Section 4 13) Alternatively alkyl p toluenesulfonates may be used m place of alkyl halides alkyl p toluenesulfonates are also prepared from alcohols as their imme diate precursors (Section 8 14)... 

The Williamson ether synthesis (Sec tion 16 6) An alkoxide ion displaces a halide or similar leaving group in an Sn2 reaction The alkyl halide cannot be one that is prone to elimination and so this reaction is limited to methyl and primary alkyl halides There is no limitation on the alkoxide ion that can be used... 

Aryl ethers are best prepared by the Williamson method (Section 16 6) Alkylation of the hydroxyl oxygen of a phenol takes place readily when a phenoxide anion reacts with an alkyl halide... 

Ethers are formed under conditions of the Williamson ether synthesis Methyl ethers of carbohydrates are efficiently prepared by alkylation with methyl iodide m the presence of silver oxide... 

Alkylation (Section 25 22) Alkyl halides react with carbohydrates to form ethers at the available hydroxyl groups An application of the Williamson ether synthesis to carbohydrates... 

Weak acid (Section 1 16) An acid that is weaker than 1130" Weak base (Section 1 16) A base that is weaker than HO Williamson ether synthesis (Section 16 6) Method for the preparation of ethers involving an Sfj2 reaction between an alkoxide ion and a primary alkyl halide... 

The most versatile method of preparing ethers is the Williamson ether synthesis, particularly in the preparation of unsymmetrical alkyl ethers (12,13). The reaction of sodium alcoholates with halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons gives the ethers ... 

WILLIAMSON Ether synthesis Synthesis of ethers from alcoholates with alkyl halides... 

Williamson reaction is the synthesis of ethers by action of heat on a mixture of alkyl haldie and sodium or potassium alkoxide... 

The reactions of pyrrolidinocyelohexenes with acid have also been Considered from a stereochemical point of view. Deuteration of the 2-methylcyclohexanone enamine gave di-2-deuterio-6-methylcyclohexanone under conditions where ds-4-/-butyI-6-methyIpyrrolidinocycIohexene was not deuterated (2J4). This experiment supported the postulate of Williamson (2JS), which called for the axial attack of an electrophile and axial orientation of the 6 substituent on an aminocyclohexene in the transition state of such enamine reactions. These geometric requirements explain the more difficult alkylation of a cyclohexanone enamine on carbon 2, when it is substituted at the 6 position, as compared with the unsubstituted case. 

In addition to its uses in photography and medicine, iodine and its compounds have been much exploited in volumetric analysis (iodometry and iodimetry, p. 864). Organoiodine compounds have also played a notable part in the development of synthetic organic chemistry, being the first compounds used in A. W. von Hofmann s alkylation of amines (1850), A. W. Williamson s synthesis of ethers (1851), A. Wurtz s coupling reactions (1855) and V. Grignard s reagents (1900). 

This reaction, which is named after W. Williamson, is the most important method for the synthesis of unsymmetrical ethers 3. For this purpose an alkoxide or phenoxide 1 is reacted with an alkyl halide 2 (with R = alkyl, allyl or benzyl). Symmetrical ethers can of course also be prepared by this route, but are accessible by other routes as well. 

The first examples of alkylation reactions in molten salts were reported in the 1950 s. Baddeley and Williamson performed a number of intramolecular cycliza-tion reactions [76] (Scheme 5.1-46), carried out in mixtures of sodium chloride and aluminium chloride. The reactions were run at below the melting point of the pure salt, and it is presumed that the mixture of reagents acts to lower the melting point. 

The most generally useful method of preparing ethers is by the Williamson ether synthesis, in which analkoxido ion reacts with a primary alkyl halide or tosylate in an S 2 reaction. As we saw earlier in Section 17.2, thealkoxide ion is normally prepared by reaction of an alcohol with a strong base such as sodium hydride, NaH. 

A useful variation of the Williamson synthesis involves silver oxide, Ag20, as a mild base rather than NaH. Under these conditions, the free alcohol reacts directly with alkyl halide, so there is no need to preform the metal alkoxide intermediate. Sugars react particularly well glucose, for example, reacts with excess iodomethane in the presence of Ag20 to generate a pentaether in 85% yield. 

Unlike the acid-catalyzed ether cleavage reaction discussed in the previous section, which is general to all ethers, the Claisen rearrangement is specific to allyl aryl ethers, Ar—O—CH2CH = CH2. Treatment of a phenoxide ion with 3-bromopropene (allyl bromide) results in a Williamson ether synthesis and formation of an allyl aryl ether. Heating the allyl aryl ether to 200 to 250 °C then effects Claisen rearrangement, leading to an o-allylphenol. The net result is alkylation of the phenol in an ortho position. 

Another method for the synthesis of epoxides is through the use of halo-hydrins, prepared by electrophilic addition of HO—X to alkenes (Section 7.3). When halohydrins are treated with base, HX is eliminated and an epoxide is produced by an intramolecular Williamson ether synthesis. That is, the nucleophilic alkoxide ion and the electrophilic alkyl halide are in the same molecule. 

Treatment of a thiol with a base, such as NaH, gives the corresponding thiolate ion (RS-), which undergoes reaction with a primary or secondary alkyl halide to give a sulfide. The reaction occurs by an Sn2 mechanism, analogous to the Williamson synthesis of ethers (Section 18.2). Thiolate anions are among... 

Williamson ether synthesis (Section 18.2) A method for synthesizing ethers by S 2 reaction of an alkyl halide with an alkoxide ion. 

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