New methodology for the synthesis of benzoazacrown ethers by transformation of the macrocycle of benzocrown ethers

The review summarizes the results of studies aimed at constructing new promising macrocyclic ligands that bind metal and ammonium ions. A new approach to the synthesis of formyl and nitro derivatives of 1-aza-2,3-benzocrown ethers possessing considerable synthetic potential is described. The review presents a radically new methodology for the synthesis of such benzoazacrown ethers based on stepwise transformations of the macrocycle of readily accessible benzocrown ethers. The main structural factors and necessary conditions enabling stepwise transformations of the macrocycle of crown ethers into azacrown ethers were revealed. For the first time, the ability of N-methylbenzoazacrown ethers to form complexes was found, which is much superior to that of widely used N-phenylazacrown ethers and benzocrown ethers with the same size of the macrocycle.     

Dicobalt octacarbonyl-catalyzed cationic polymerization of allylic and enolic ethers

In the presence of silanes bearing Si H groups, dicobalt octacarbonyl [Co₂(CO)₈] efficiently catalyzes the cationic polymerization of a wide variety of enol ether and other related monomers including vinyl ethers, 1-propenyl ethers, 1-butenyl ethers, 2,3-dihydrofuran, 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran, ketene acetals, and allene ethers. In addition, this catalyst system is also effective for the polymerization of complimentary allylic and propargylic ethers by a process involving tandem isomerization and cationic polymerization. This latter process occurs by a stepwise mechanism in which the allylic or propargylic ether is first isomerized, respectively, to the corresponding enol ether or allenic ether and then this latter compound is rapidly cationically polymerized in the presence of the catalyst. In accord with this mechanism, it has been shown that the structure of the polymers prepared from related enol and allyl ethers using the above catalyst system are identical. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1579–1591, 1997     

Comparative photophysical behaviour of naphthalene-linked crown ethers and aza crown ethers of varying cavity dimensions

A comparative time-resolved emission studies of several naphtho-crown ethers I–V, where metal ions can be complexed in a predetermined orientation with respect to the naphthalene (Naph) π-plane and naphthalene-linked aza crown ethers (L1 and L2) have been presented. In both the systems, crown ethers and aza crown ethers, naphthalene fluorescence gets quenched. In the systems I to V, the quenching is mainly due to efficient spin-orbit coupling (SOC) leading to greater population of the lowest triplet state of naphthalene. This SOC depends on the orientation of the crown ring with respect to the Naph-π-plane. However, in the systems L1 and L2, the quenching is due to photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from nitrogen lone pair of the aza crown ring to naphthalene moiety and consequent exciplex formation. The results have been interpreted using the time-resolved emission studies of all the compounds in various solvents, their alkali metal ion complexes, and protonated ligands.     

Intramolecular regioselective addition of radicals and carbanions to ynol ethers. A strategy for the synthesis of exocyclic enol ethers

The scope and limitations of radical and anionic cyclization reactions involving halo ynol ethers have been investigated. 5-exo and 6-exo radical cyclizations of 6-iodo and 7-iodo ynol ethers proceeded well when the oxygen of the ynol ether was bearing an ethyl group. Exocyclic iodoenol ethers resulting from these cyclizations were highly unstable and decomposed rapidly. Li-I exchange of iodo ynol ethers proceeded smoothly at −78 °C. 6-Alkoxy-5-hexynyllithiums underwent regiospecific 5-exo-dig anionic cyclization to produce five-membered rings bearing an exocyclic enol ether moiety. The cyclized vinyllithium intermediate was successfully trapped with electrophiles to afford functionalized cycloalkoxyalkylidene derivatives in modest to good yields. 7-Alkoxy-6-heptynyllithiums did not cyclize via a 6-exo anionic process.     

Relative thermodynamic stabilities of allyl vinyl and propenyl vinyl ethers

The relative thermodynamic stabilities of a number of isomeric allyl vinyl and propenyl vinyl ethers were determined by chemical equilibration in DMSO solution with KOBu-t as catalyst. From the temperature dependence of the values of the equilibrium constant the parameters G _m , H _m and S _m of isomerization at 298.15 K were evaluated. Propenyl vinyl ethers, owing to their low enthalpy contents, are much more stable than the isomeric allyl vinyl ethers. It appears that in the parent propenyl vinyl ether, the Me group attached to C- of the divinyl ether skeleton has a strong stabilizing effect, comparable to that of alkyl groups in ordinary olefins, on the unsaturated system. In more heavily alkyl-substituted divinyl ethers, however, the stabilizing effects of alkyl groups are less prominent, being comparable to the low stabilization energies of alkyl groups in vinyl ethers, and depend moreover, on the pattern of substitution.     

Fluorinative ring-expansion of cyclic ethers using p-iodotoluene difluoride. Stereoselective synthesis of fluoro cyclic ethers

Fluorinated five- to seven-membered cyclic ethers were stereoselectively synthesized from four- to six-membered cyclic ethers having an iodoalkyl substituent by fluorinative ring-expansion reaction using p-iodotoluene difluoride.     

Dipropargyl ethers possessing nitramine units

The syntheses and characterization of novel propargyl ethers of N-(hydroxymethyl)nitramines that contain from one to four nitramine units are reported. All nitramine-functionalized ethers were well characterized by IR and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy as well as CHN analysis, and the X-ray crystal structures of two of them are described. For ethers bearing two or three nitramine units, the standard molar enthalpies of formation at 298.15 K were determined from the experimental standard molar energies of combustion in oxygen measured by static bomb combustion calorimetry     

Synthesis of diaryl ethers based on one-pot [3+3] cyclizations of 1,3-bis(silyl enol ethers)

Functionalized and sterically encumbered diaryl ethers were prepared by [3+3] cyclization of 1,3-bis(silyl enol ethers) with 2-aryloxy-3-(silyloxy)alk-2-en-1-ones.     

Solvent-free synthesis of dihydroxy dithiacrown ethers

The solvent-free reaction of oligoethylene glycol diglycidyl ethers with dimercaptoethane in the presence of benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (Triton B) gave, via regiospecific epoxide opening reactions, dihydroxy dithiacrown ethers in excellent yields and in short reaction times.     

Facile one-pot synthesis of aliphatic bridged diaryloxy compounds,cyclic and crown ethers under mild conditions

We report here the facile, room temperature, catalyst free, one pot synthesis of aliphatic bridged diaryloxy compounds, cyclic and crown ethers. Anhydrous potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃) as a mild base along with dimethyl sulfoxide generates the phenoxide ion which facilitates the nucleophilic substitution of bromoalkanes to yield the corresponding crown ethers.     

Synthesis and properties of naphthoquinonylamino-substituted benzocrown ethers

Naphthoquinonylaminobenzocrown ethers were synthesized by reactions of 4-aminobenzocrown ethers with 1,4-naphthoquinones. A hypsochromic shift of the long-wave absorption band was found to appear in the electron spectra when the compounds synthesized reacted with alkaline or alkaline-earth metal salts.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 452–454, March, 1994.     

Cerium(IV) sulfate tetrahydrate: a catalytic and highly chemoselective deprotection of THP,MOM, and BOM ethers

Tetrahydropyranyl (THP), methoxymethyl (MOM), and benzyloxymethyl (BOM) phenyl/alkyl ethers were efficiently cleaved to the corresponding parent hydroxyl compounds in good yields using catalytic amounts of Ce(SO₄)₂·4H₂O by microwave-assisted or conventional heating in methanol solution. Intramolecular and competitive experiments demonstrated the chemoselective deprotection of THP ethers in the presence of triisopropylsilyl (TIPS) and tert-butyldiphenylsilyl (TBDPS) phenyl ethers.     

The complexation of alkali metal ions by crown ethers,aza crown ethers,and cryptands in propylene carbonate

The reactions between alkali metal ions and crown ethers, aza crown ethers, and cryptands in propylene carbonate were studied by potentiometric and calorimetric titrations. The most stable complexes formed by macrocyclic and macrobicyclic ligands are when the ligand and cation dimensions are comparable. On comparing the complex stabilities of crown ethers and aza crown ethers of the same size, crown ethers were, on the whole, found to form the most stable complexes, with the exception of the lithium cation. Enthalpic factors are responsible. Substitution of the amino group protons of the aza crown ethers by benzyl groups leads to a high increase in values of the reaction enthalpy. This effect is partly compensated by entropic contributions. The bulky benzyl groups reduce the ligand solvent interactions and induce a ligand conformation with the lone pair of electrons from the nitrogen donor atoms which are more or less directed inside the cavity. The thermodynamic data for the transfer from methanol to propylene carbonate indicate that the ligands containing nitrogen show specific interactions with methanol.This paper is dedicated to Professor H. Strehlow on the occasion of his 70th birthday.     

Chloropolyfluorodiethyl ethers

Fluorination of 2-chlorodiethyl ether by cobalt trifluoride at 110–150 °C afforded isomers of 2-chloro-pentafluoro-, -hexafluoro-, and -heptafluorodiethyl ethers. Chlorine was lost in similar fluorinations of 2-chloro-2,2-difluoroethyl ethyl ether, the only products isolated being a heptaand a hexa-fluoro diethyl ether. Structures were established spectroscopically.     

Synthesis of 3-nitro-3-azalk-2-yl ethers

PrimaryN-nitramines react with vinyl ethers to give 3-nitro-3-azalk-2-yl ethers. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 621–623, March, 1999.     

Photoinitiated cationic oligomerization of aryl 1-propenyl ethers

A series of aryl 1-propenyl ethers (ArPE) were prepared by the isomerization of the corresponding allyl aryl ethers (AArE) and used for photoinduced cationic polymerization studies. Attempted polymerization reactions using diaryliodonium salts as photoinitiators generally resulted in low yields of oligomers. Further studies revealed that these compounds have much lower reactivity in cationic vinyl polymerization as compared to their alkyl analogues. Moreover, side reactions resulting from chain transfer due to Friedel–Crafts alkylations take place and compete with vinyl polymerization. These side reactions are responsible for the low molecular weights observed in the cationic photopolymerization of aryl 1-propenyl ether monomers. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3017–3025, 1999     

New approach to the synthesis of dibenzodiazacrown ethers by ring transformation of dibenzocrown ether

Opening of the macrocycle of 4′,4″(5″)-dinitrodibenzo-18-crown-6 ethers under the action of MeNH₂ or MeONa to give podands was studied. Structure of the aza podands was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. A new approach to the synthesis of previously unknown dinitrodibenzodiazacrown ethers based on one-step ring transformation of the cis isomer of dinitrodibenzo-18-crown-6 ether on treatment with aliphatic diamines was proposed.     

Transition metal-catalyzed isomerization and polymerization of allylic and enolic ethers

Alkyl allyl ethers undergo facile thermally induced isomerization to alkyl 1-propenyl ethers in the presence of Group VIII transition metal carbonyl compounds as catalysts. The addition of a silane containing a Si H bond to these systems results in a catalyst system that is capable of not only isomerizing the allyl ether to the 1-propenyl ether, but further results in the polymerization of these later compounds. High molecular weight polymers can be obtained directly from the alkyl allyl ether in a single step. The scope and limitations of these polymerizations are described. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2521–2532, 1997     

Selective lithium ion extraction with chromogenic monoaza crown ethers

Two chromogenic monoaza crown ethers were synthesized and investigated for their lithium extraction capabilities. The chromogenic monoaza 14-crown-4 compound exhibited the best selectivity for lithium over sodium; ca. 2800, with a detection limit of 0.08 ppm.     

Synthesis of novel crown ethers. Part 1. Coumestan and coumestan analog derivatives of crown ethers

The presented ethylenedioxy compounds5a,5d,6a and6c are examples of novel cyclic ethers, while macrocyclic polyethers represent new crown ether analogues. New coumestan-crowns5a-f, derivatives of 6,7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-dibenzofuran-1-one and 6,7-dihydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-dibenzofuran-1-one6a-e were synthesized from the correspondingo-dihydroxy compounds3a-b,4a-b and ditosylates or dichlorides of di- or triethylene glycol in the presence of K₂CO₃, in DMF/H₂O (15/1) solutions at 65–75 °C for 35 hours. The structure of the macrocyclic ethers obtained were confirmed by¹H-NMR,¹³C-NMR, IR spectra and elemental analyses.Presented at the Sixth International Seminar on Inclusion Compounds, Istanbul, Turkey, 27–31 August, 1995.