The kinetics and mechanisms of aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions in liquid ammonia

The rates of aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions in liquid ammonia are much faster than those in protic solvents indicating that liquid ammonia behaves like a typical dipolar aprotic solvent in its solvent effects on organic reactions. Nitrofluorobenzenes (NFBs) readily undergo solvolysis in liquid ammonia and 2-nitrofluorobenzene is about 30 times more reactive than the 4-substituted isomer. Oxygen nucleophiles, such as alkoxide and phenoxide ions, readily displace fluorine of 4-NFB in liquid ammonia to give the corresponding substitution product with little or no competing solvolysis product. Using the pK(a) of the substituted phenols in liquid ammonia, the Br?nsted β(nuc) for the reaction of 4-NFB with para-substituted phenoxides is 0.91, indicative of the removal of most of the negative charge on the oxygen anion and complete bond formation in the transition state and therefore suggests that the decomposition of the Meisenheimer σ-intermediate is rate limiting. The aminolysis of 4-NFB occurs without general base catalysis by the amine and the second-order rate constants generate a Br?nsted β(nuc) of 0.36 using either the pK(a) of aminium ion in acetonitrile or in water, which is also interpreted in terms of rate limiting breakdown of the Meisenheimer σ-intermediate. Nitrobenzene and diazene are formed as unusual products from the reaction between sodium azide and 4-NFB, which may be due to the initially formed 4-nitroazidobenzene decomposing to give a nitrene intermediate, which may then give diazene or be trapped by ammonia to give the unstable hydrazine which then yields nitrobenzene.     

Reactions of non-activated aryl halides with nucleophilic agents induced by alkali amides in liquid ammonia

It has been shown that the reactions of nucleophiles with non-activated aryl halides, discovered by Bergstrom to be induced by alkali amides in liquid ammonia, proceed by way of a benzyne-type intermediate. The ease with which a given nucleophile can compete with amide ion does not appear to be a simple function of either its basic strength or nucleophilic character as measured in other reactions. Thus, the anions of a number of weak acids line up qualitatively in competitive power as follows: fluorenyl anion anilide> thiophenolate triphenylmethide> acetophenone enolate anion phenylacetylide> phenolate> pyrrolate> alkoxides, iodide or cynaide. The results indicate benzyne to be a highly unstable entity.     

Reactions of 2-(α-Haloalkyl)thiiranes with nucleophilic reagents: V. Reactions of 2-(α-Chloroalkyl)thiiranes with organolithium compounds

2-(α-Haloalkyl)thiiranes reacted with methyl-, butyl-, and phenyllithium to give the corresponding allyl sulfides. The reactions of diastereoisomeric erythro- and threo-2-(1-chloroethyl)thiiranes with phenyllithium were stereospecific, and they afforded (E)- and (Z)-1-phenylsulfanylbut-2-enes, respectively. 3-Chloromethyl-2,2-dimethylthiirane and phenyllithium gave rise to a mixture of 3-methyl-3-phenylsulfanylbut-1-ene and 3-methyl-1-phenylsulfanylbut-2-ene. The reactions of 2-chloromethylthiiranes with phenyllithium and methyllithium in the presence of a catalytic amount of copper(I) iodide (10 mol %) led to the formation of substituted thiiranes as the major products. Mechanisms of the observed transformations are discussed.     

Reactions of O(3 P) with aromatic compounds in the liquid phase

The oxidation of 12 aromatic compounds using either high voltage or radio frequency glow discharges has been studied. The reactions have been carried out by making the oxygen plasma reach the low vapor pressure substrate. This (1.5-3 ml) was placed into a double-walled glass vessel that was cooled down to temperatures close to its freeing point. Oxygen pressure was of the order of 0.05-0.30 torr, the ratio p(Oa) / (vapor pressure of the liquid) being in the range 10–120. The results obtained in the plasma-liquid interactions of this work considerably differ from those in the homogeneous gas phase. Neither fragmentation products in the traps nor polymers on the reactor walls have been detected. Product formation has proved to be more selective as well. For anisole and five monoalkylben:enes o-, m-, and p-alkvlphenols amounted to 65–86% of the total yield, ortho derivatives being the most important products. The oxidation of the alkyl side chain was observed at a lower level than the aromatic hydroxylation. No ipso substitution was detected. Diand trimethylbenzenes were also studied, di- and trirnethylphenols being the major products. For all substrates dihydroxy derivatives were the most important byproducts. Total conversion, i.e., mass transformed against initial mass of substrate, has been studied as a Junction of temperature of the liquid and oxygen fog, rate in the reactor, this ranging from 10 to 20 mMol/h. The optimum conversions were 7 to 40%. A correlation between these results and the behavior of the O(3P) population in the discharge has been /bund.     

Reactions of polyhalopyridines 5. Reaction of 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-4-trifluoromethylthiopyridine with nucleophilic reagents

The reaction on 2, 3, 3, 6-tetrachloro-4-trifluoromethylthiopyridine with various nucleophilic reagents has been studied. It was shown that the CF₃S group is readily replaced under the action of O- and S-nucleophiles. Competition was detected between replacement of an a-chlorine atom on the pyridine ring and of the fluorinecontaining group under the action of N-nucleophilic reagents. New derivatives of trichlorotrifluoromethylthiopyridine with nitrogen-containing substituents have been synthesized.For Communication 4 see [1].Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 63–67, January, 1994.     

Fluoroaliphatic esters of fluorosulfonic acid. 4. Reactions of α-fluorosulfatoperfluoro ketones with nucleophilic reagents

-Fluorosulfatoperfluoroethyl isopropyl ketone I and fluorosulfatopentafluoroacetone II react with alkali metal chlorides and bromides to form the corresponding -haloperfluoro ketones as a result of direct nucleophilic substitution.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 2066–2069, September, 1990.     

Reactions of esters of tetracoordinated phosphorus acids with nucleophilic reagents in highly organized media

Characteristic features of reactions involving esters of phosphorus-containing acids in highly organized media (micelles, liquid crystals, vesicles, and emulsions) are surveyed.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 298–312, February, 1996.     

Heterocyclic enamides — Derivatives of imidazolidine nitrosyl radicals: Reactions with nucleophilic and electrophilic reagents

The reactions of the heterocyclic enamides — 4-alkyliden-2,2,5,5-tetraalkyl-3-formylimidazolidin-1-oxyls — with organomagnesium and organolithium compounds takes place at two reaction centers — the N-formyl group and the C=C endocyclic carbon atom — to give three types of product: 3-imidazoline derivatives, substituted formyl derivatives, or acyclic nitroxyl radicals. Enamides with POCl₃ in DMF gives products of electrophilic substitution at the exocyclic methylene group with retention of the N-formyl.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 620–624, May, 1988.     

New stable reagents for the nucleophilic trifluoromethylation. 1. Trifluoromethylation Of carbonyl compounds with N-formylmorpholine derivatives

A new stable equivalent of the trifluoromethyl anion has been synthesized from fluoroform. It reacts with nonenolizable carbonyl compounds such as the Ruppert's reagent.     

The effect of cations on nucleophilic additions to carbonyl compounds: carbonyl complexation control versus ionic association control. application to t

The fundamental influence of cations in nucleophilic additions to carbonyl compounds is discussed in terms of either carbonyl complexation or ionic association with the nucleophile. Since loose ion pairs react essentially under complexation control while tight ion pairs react under association control, an experimental criterion is proposed to determine which factor controls the reactivity (complexation or association) based on the kinetic effects of cryptand or crown-ether addition.An application of this duality is then examined for the regioselectivity of nucleophilic additions to α-enones and correlated with perturbational arguments based on abinitio calculations. Under complexation control, attack at carbon 2 is favoured, especially when a soft nucleophile is involved and the counter-ion is Li⁺ rather than Na⁺. Under association control two cases are considered according to whether the cation is directly bound or not to the nucleophilic center; in addition, the influence of hard or soft metals and the possibility of a cationic bridge in the transition state have been discussed. Several kinetic controlled reactions have been examined and interpreted in this way. An extension of this concept to other reactions will be considered.     

Phosphorylnitrile oxides. 5. Reactions of 3-(dialkoxyphosphoryl)isoxazoles and -isoxazolines with nucleophilic reagents

3-Phosphotylated isoxazoles and isoxazolines react with nucleophiles either with cleavage of the P-C bond and subsequent ring opening or with retention of the heterocyclic ring depending on the structure of the ring substituents, nature of the nucleophile, and reaction conditions. This permits the selective chemical modification of the starting compounds.Kazan State Technological University, Kazan 420015. Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka 142432. A. I. Gertsen Russian State Pedogogical University, St. Petersburg 191186. Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 821–828, June, 1994. Original article submitted April 28, 1994.     

Mechanistic studies on the nucleophilic reaction of porphyrins with organolithium reagents.

Porphyrins react readily with organolithium reagents under substitution of free meso positions. As this method has proven to be very versatile for the preparation of a wide range of meso substituted porphyrins, a mechanistic study of the reaction was undertaken using 5,15-diaryl- and dialkyl substituted porphyrins, 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrin, and the respective nickel(II) complexes. A combination of deuteration experiments, electronic absorption spectroscopy of the reactive intermediates, trapping of intermediates with organic electrophiles, and reaction at different pH values showed significant differences in the reaction pathways of free base porphyrins and metalloporphyrins. In both cases the reaction proceeds initially under formation of phlorin like intermediates which are stable in water. For the Ni(II)phlorins a mesomeric carbanionic form with a highly distorted structure exists that can react as a nucleophile with electrophiles such as RI, H+, or D+. In the latter case a protonation-deprotonation equilibrium involving porphodimethen intermediates has to be assumed. Free base phlorins do not react as nucleophiles but can undergo H/D exchange reactions in strongly acidic media.     

Significantly enhanced reactivities of the nucleophilic substitution reactions in ionic liquid

We have investigated the reactivities of various metal fluorides in the nucleophilic fluorination of 2-(3-methanesulfonyloxypropyl)naphthalene (1) as a model compound in the presence of 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF(4)]). The higher periodic alkali metal fluorides demonstrate greater reactivity. The fluorination using CsF among the alkali metal fluorides was completed in 20 min, affording the desired product 2-(3-fluoropropyl)naphthalene (2a, 95%) without any byproducts. However, the fluorinations using alkali earth, transition, and low periodic alkali metal fluorides under the same conditions occurred rarely or not at all. We have also carried out the various facile nucleophilic substitutions such as halogenations, acetoxylation, nitrilation, and alkoxylations of mesyloxyalkane 1 and 2-(3-bromopropyl)naphthalene (6) at the primary aliphatic position using the potassium halides, acetate, cyanide, and alkoxides, respectively, in the presence of ionic liquids. These reactions provided the desired products, such as 2-(3-halopropyl)naphthalenes 5-7 (95% for Cl, 96% for Br, and 93% for I), 2-(3-acetoxypropyl)naphthalene (8, 95%), 2-(3-cyanopropyl)naphthalene (9, 93%), and 2-(3-methoxypropyl)naphthalene (10, 92%).     

Reactions of silylmercury compounds with sodium and potassium in the aromatic solvents

Bis(triethylsilyl)mercury (I) and triethylsilyl(pentaethyldisilanyl)mercury (II) react with metallic sodium or potassium in benzene solution to give phenyltriethylsilane (III) and a mixture of III and 1-phenyl-2,2,3,3,3-pentaethyldisilane, respectively, instead of the expected silylmetallic compounds (e.g. Et₃SiM and Et₅Si₂M, where M = Na or K). These results may be explained by the intermediate formation of silylmetallic compounds which reacted with the solvent. The reaction of I with potassium in toluene proceeds analogously.     

α-thiocyanatocarbonyl compounds. 2*. Condensation of phosphorylated α-phenyl-α-thiocyanatoacetaldehyde with phosphorus nucleophilic reagents

We are the first to report a study of the reaction of phosphorylated α-phenyl-α-thiocyanatoacetaldehyde with triphenylphosphine, dimethylphenylphosphine, and diethylphosphorous acid, which yields bisphosphorylated 4,5-thioazolidines. * For Communication 1 see [1]. Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 11, pp. 1707–1711, November, 2008.     

A rationalization of orientation and reactivity in the nucleophilic replacement reactions of aromatic polyhalo-compounds

C₆F₅X compounds react with nucleophiles at the position para to X in some cases (X = H, CH₃, NMe₂, SMe, CF₃), meta in others (X = NH₂, O⁻) and occasionally at both meta and para in comparable amounts (X = OMe, NHME); significant amounts of ortho-replacement also occur (X = Cl, OMe). These orientations, and those in polychloro-aromatics and polyfluoro-polynuclear aromatics, can be rationalized by considering the relative stabilities of the Wheland-type intermediates involved (I, II, III), provided the halogens are taken as electron-repelling in π-systems. Reactivities can be rationalized if ground state stabilities are considered as well. A number of predictions have been made on the basis of these arguments.