Photolysis of ortho-Azidobenzoic Acid in Aqueous Solutions and Water–Organic Solvent Mixtures

The photolysis of o-azidobenzoic acid and its potassium salt in water, ethanol, tetrahydrofuran (THF), and ethanol–water and THF–water mixtures was studied by IR and UV spectroscopy and thin-layer chromatography. It was found that the photolysis of o-azidobenzoic acid and potassium o-azidobenzoate in aqueous solutions mainly resulted in 2,1-benzisoxazolone, the intramolecular cyclization product. The process of azepine formation in ethanol or an ethanol–water mixture depends on the nucleophilic nature of ethanol; in this case, water is practically of no importance. The presence of THF in an aqueous solution shifted the singlet nitrene–dehydroazepine equilibrium toward dehydroazepine, which reacts with water to give azepines.     

Carbenes and Nitrenes: Recent Developments in Fundamental Chemistry

Carbenes and nitrenes can exist in both singlet and triplet states, sometimes equally stable and interconverting either thermally or photochemically. Many carbene and nitrene reactions proceed via tunneling at low temperatures. Numerous singlet and triplet states have been characterized spectroscopically, and a detailed understanding of the chemical and physical properties of carbenes and nitrenes is emerging. There has been significant progress in the direct observation of carbenes, nitrenes, and many other reactive intermediates in recent years through the application of matrix photolysis and flash vacuum pyrolysis linked with matrix isolation at cryogenic temperatures. Our understanding of singlet and triplet states has improved through the interplay of spectroscopy and computations. Bistable carbenes and nitrenes as well as many examples of tunneling have been discovered and numerous rearrangements and fragmentations have been documented. The correlation of the zero‐field splitting parameter D with calculated spin densities on nitrenes and carbenes is discussed. This Minireview gives an overview of some of these developments.     

Synthetic and structural studies of some chloro-substituted methyl 2,1-benzisoxazole-3-carboxylates and related compounds

Methyl 5-chloro- and 5,7-dichloro-2,1-benzisoxazole-3-carboxylates have been synthesized by treatment of o-nitromandelic and 5-chloro-2-nitroamandelic methyl esters, respectively, with thionyl chloride under appropriate reaction conditions. The structural assignments of both heterocyclic products were based on elemental and spectral analyses, and their conversion to the corresponding 5-chloro- and 5,7-dichloro substituted 2,1-benzisoxazole-3-carboxylic acids and isatins. Methyl α-chloro-o-nitrophenylacetate and o-nitrophenylcarbomethoxymethinyl sulfite were also obtained from reactions of methyl o-nitromandelate and thionyl chloride. A possible reaction mechanism involving two consecutive nucleophilic substitutions of methyl o-nitromandelate with thionyl chloride was proposed to account for the formation of methyl 5-chloro-2,1-benzisoxazole-3-carboxylate.     

Developments in Arylnitrene Chemistry: Syntheses and Mechanisms [New synthetic methods (31)]

Aryl- and heteroaryl-nitrenes can take part in intra-and intermolecular reactions in both of their possible electronic states (triplet and singlet). In this review we have endeavored to high-light recent synthetic uses of these reactive intermediates as well as draw attention to avenues open to further exploration in this field. Singlet arylnitrenes will interact with suitable ortho-positioned substituents to give a variety of fused azoles, some in excellent yield. In suitable solvents and in presence of amines and alcohols, phenylnitrenes undergo ring expansion to azepines which can also occur in nitrenes of certain fused bicyclic aromatics (naphthalene, quinoline, isoquinoline, benzo[b]thiophene). The latter nitrenes may also give rise to o-diamines which are useful starters for further heterocyclic synthesis. Triplet arylnitrenes (usually regarded as having only a nuisance effect in synthetic work) may also be utilized in practicable heterocyclic syntheses within a suitable molecular framework. Decomposition of aryl azides in a mixture of an organic and polyphosphoric acid leads to fused oxazoles. The mechanism is discussed for all the reactions considered.     

Photolysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>-iodo- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>-bromophenols in aqueous solution of sodium sulfite and organic solvents

The photochemical reaction of o-iodo- and o-bromophenol in an aqueous sodium sulfite solution proceeds via both nonchain and chain mechanisms. The formation of the intermediate product, aromatic radical anion, was observed. The quantum yield of the photochemical reaction of o-iodophenol increases, when the electron donor diphenylamine is irradiated. In the photolysis of o-halophenols in organic solvents, free iodine is evolved in addition to aromatic products. The products of the photolysis of o-iodophenol in ethanol and carbon tetrachloride were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These are phenol in the case of ethanol and a mixture of o-chlorophenol and hydroxychloro-substituted biphenyls in the case of carbon tetrachloride. The quantum yields were determined for all photochemical reactions studied.     

Time-resolved resonance Raman and computational investigation of the influence of 4-acetamido and 4-N-methylacetamido substituents on the chemistry of phenylnitrene

A time-resolved resonance Raman (TR(3)) and computational investigation of the photochemistry of 4-acetamidophenyl azide and 4-N-methylacetamidophenyl azide in acetonitrile is presented. Photolysis of 4-acetamidophenyl azide appears to initially produce singlet 4-acetamidophenylnitrene which undergoes fast intersystem crossing (ISC) to form triplet 4-acetamidophenylnitrene. The latter species formally produces 4,4'-bisacetamidoazobenzene. RI-CC2/TZVP and TD-B3LYP/TZVP calculations predict the formation of the singlet nitrene from the photogenerated S(1) surface of the azide excited state. The triplet 4-acetamidophenylnitrene and 4,4'-bisacetamidoazobenzene species are both clearly observed on the nanosecond to microsecond time-scale in TR(3) experiments. In contrast, only one species can be observed in analogous TR(3) experiments after photolysis of 4-N-methylacetamidophenyl azide in acetonitrile, and this species is tentatively assigned to the compound resulting from dimerization of a 1,2-didehydroazepine. The different photochemical reaction outcomes for the photolysis of 4-acetamidophenyl azide and 4-N-methylacetamidophenyl azide molecules indicate that the 4-acetamido group has a substantial influence on the ISC rate of the corresponding substituted singlet phenylnitrene, but the 4-N-methylacetamido group does not. CASSCF analyses predict that both singlet nitrenes have open-shell electronic configurations and concluded that the dissimilarity in the photochemistry is probably due to differential geometrical distortions between the states. We briefly discuss the probable implications of this intriguing substitution effect on the photochemistry of phenyl azides and the chemistry of the related nitrenes.     

Photolysis of alpha-azidoacetophenones: direct detection of triplet alkyl nitrenes in solution

We report the first detection of triplet alkyl nitrenes in fluid solution by laser flash photolysis of alpha-azido acetophenone derivatives, 1. Alphazides 1 contain an intramolecular triplet sensitizer, which ensures formation of the triplet alkyl nitrene by bypassing the singlet nitrene intermediate. At room temperature, azides 1 cleave to form benzoyl and methyl azide radicals in competition with triplet energy transfer to form triplet alkyl nitrene. The major photoproduct 3 arises from interception of the triplet alkyl nitrene with benzoyl radicals. The triplet alkyl nitrene intermediates are also trapped with molecular oxygen to yield the corresponding 2-nitrophenylethanone. Laser flash photolysis of 1 reveals that the triplet alkyl nitrenes have absorption around 300 nm. The triplet alkyl nitrenes were further characterized by obtaining their UV and IR spectra in argon matrices. (13)C and (15)N isotope labeling studies allowed us to characterize the C-N stretch of the nitrene intermediate at 1201 cm(-)(1).     

Triplet-sensitized photolysis of alkoxycarbonyl azides in solution and matrices

Photolysis of azides 1–4 in methanol, which have a built-in intramolecular triplet sensitizer, yields mainly carbamates 5–8. Laser flash photolysis of 1–4 shows formation of their triplet-excited ketone, which decays by intramolecular energy transfer to form triplet nitrenes 1n–4n. Irradiating 1–3 in matrices yields isocyanic acid, whereas photolysis of 4 forms isocyanate 4i. The depletion rate of the azide bands between 2100 and 2200 cm^?1 is different than the rate of formation for the isocyanic acid bands at ～2265 cm^?1; thus, the formation of isocyanic acid is a stepwise process. Irradiating 1 in matrices produces an absorption band due to nitrene 1n (λ_max ～ 343 nm), which is depleted upon further irradiation, whereas the absorption due to 4-acetyl benzaldehyde (λ_max ～ 280 nm) increases with prolonged irradiation. We propose that formation of isocyanic acid in matrices must come from secondary photolysis of nitrenes 1n–3n. This mechanism is further supported by calculation, which show that the estimated transition state for 1n–4n to fall apart to yield alkoxy and cyanato radicals is only ～34 kcal/mol above the ground state of the triplet nitrenes and thus the cleavage can take place photochemically. Thus, nitrenes 1n–4n can be formed selectively, but these intermediates are highly photosensitive and undergo secondary photolysis in matrices.     

Nitrenes and the Decomposition of Carbonylazides

The decomposition of organic carbonylazides can lead to the formation of nitrenes. Ethoxycarbonylnitrene is formed in the photolytic and thermal decomposition of ethyl azidoformate and by α-elimination from N-(p-nitrobenzenesulfonyloxy)urethan. Both of the possible electronic states of this nitrene take part in intermolecular reactions. Pure singlet nitrene is formed by α-elimination from the urethan and on thermal decomposition of ethyl azidoformate, but changes so rapidly into the triplet form that the reactions of both forms are observed. Singlet ethoxycarbonylnitrene undergoes selective and stereospecific insertion into C? H bonds and adds stereospecifically to olefins. Triplet ethoxycarbonylnitrene, however, does not undergo insertion into C? H bonds, and adds to olefins with complete loss of the geometric configuration. By following quantitatively the stereospecificity of the addition reaction and by selective interception of the triplet and singlet forms of the nitrene, it can be shown that the photolysis of ethyl azidoformate leads directly to nitrene of which one third is in the triplet state. In the decomposition of aryl- and alkylcarbonylazides (acid azides), the removal of nitrogen is accompanied by a synchronous rearrangement to isocyanates (Curtius rearrangement). In this system, nitrenes are obtained only by photolysis. They add to double bonds and undergo very selective insertion into C? H bonds, but do not rearrange at a measurable rate to isocyanates. The photolytic Curtius rearrangement is also a concerted reaction.     

Photochemistry of ortho, ortho' dialkyl phenyl azides

Phenyl azide, 2,6-diethylphenyl azide, 2,6-diisopropylphenyl azide, and 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl azide were studied by laser flash photolysis (LFP) methods. LFP (266 nm) of the azides in glassy 3-methylpentane at 77 K produces the transient UV-vis absorption spectra of the corresponding singlet nitrenes. At 77 K, the singlet nitrenes relax to the corresponding triplet nitrenes. The triplet nitrenes are persistent at 77 K and their spectra were recorded. The rate constants of singlet to triplet intersystem crossing were determined at this temperature. LFP of 2,4,6-tri-tert-butyl phenyl azide in pentane at ambient temperature again produces a singlet nitrene, which is too short-lived to detect by nanosecond spectroscopy under these conditions. Unlike the other azides, the first detectable intermediate produced upon LFP of 2,4,6-tri-tert-butyl phenyl azide at ambient temperature is the benzazirine (285 nm) which has a lifetime of 62 ns controlled by ring opening to a didehydroazepine. The results are interpreted with the aid of Density Functional Theoretical and Molecular Orbital Calculations.     

Ring closure reactions with nitriles. I. Formation of pyrrolo [2,1-c] [1,2,4] benzothiadiazines and pyrrolo[1,2-a] quinazolines

Pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,2,4]benzothiadiazines have been prepared from the reactions of o-amino-benzenesulfonamides with γ-cyanopropionaldehydes. Pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinazolines have been prepared from the reaction of anthranilamides with either γ-cyanopropionaldehyde or succinic anhydride. The cyclization of a 4-oxo-2-quinazolinepropionic acid has produced a pyrrolo-[1,2-a]quinazoline and the isomeric pyrrolo[2,1-b]quinazoline.     

Naphtho[1′,2′:5,6]pyrano[2,3–6][1,5]benzodiazepine Derivatives

The reaction of 3-(dimethylamino)-1-oxo-1H-naphtho[2,1-b]pyran-2-carbaldehyde (Ia) with o-phenylenediamines or N-monosubstituted o-phenylenediamines in refluxing glacial acetic acid afforded the corresponding naphtho[1′,2′:5,6]pyrano[2,3-b][1,5]benzodiazepin-15-(8H)ones V in very good yields. A similar result was achieved when the reaction was carried out in refluxing pyridine, using N-monosubstituted o-phenylenediamine hydrochlorides. The isolation of a significant intermediate as well as the synthesis through a different univocal pathway confirmed the structure of the compounds V. Moreover the reaction of Ia with N-monosubstituted o-phenylenediamines in refluxing pyridine generally afforded only low yields of compounds V, sometimes together with naphtho[1′,2′:5,6]pyrano[2,3-b][1,5]benzodiazepin-15-(13H)ones VII, isomers of V.     

Anthranilic acid hydrazide in the synthesis of fused polycyclic compounds with quinazoline moieties

A modified procedure was developed for the synthesis of 5,6,7,8,13,13a-hexahydrophthalazino[1,2-b]quinazoline-5,8-dione and 6-amino-5,6,6a,11-tetrahydroisoindolo[2,1-a]quinazoline-5,11-dione from o-formylbenzoic acid and anthranilic acid hydrazide. The mechanism of the transformation is suggested, some reactions were studied, and new derivatives of these compounds were synthesized. Anthranilic acid hydrazide was used in the novel synthesis of 5-substituted phthalazino[1,2-b]quinazolin-8-one derivatives. The possible reaction mechanism is discussed. 5,6,7,8-Tetrahydrophthalazino[1,2-b]quinazoline-5,8-dione and 5-phenylphthalazino[2,1-b]quinazolin-8-one were studied by X-ray diffraction.     

Photochemistry of methylenenitrones and related compounds. A study of oxaziridine and nitrene formation

A series of N-alkylmethylenenitrones has been prepared and can be irradiated cleanly to simple N-alkyloxaziridines. Further irradiations of these systems lead to N-alkylformamides via a singlet state rearrangement process. Triplet state fragmentation to give amines, presumably via alkyl nitrenes, has been observed but with very low efficiency. Only N-aryl systems appear to lead to significant nitrene formation.     

Synthesis of isoquinoline derivatives of quinoxalin-2-one from pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline-2,3-diones and o-phenylenediamine

Reactions of 5,5-dialkyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline-2,3-diones with o-phenylenediamine in the presence of a catalytic amount of hydrogen chloride or p-toluenesulfonic acid involved opening of the pyrrole ring with formation of 3-(3,3-dialkyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolin-1-ylidenemethyl)quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones. The presence of an enamine fragment in the products was confirmed by reaction with oxalyl chloride.     

The direct detection of an aryl azide excited state: an ultrafast study of the photochemistry of para- and ortho-biphenyl azide

Ultrafast laser flash photolysis (266 nm) of para- and ortho-biphenyl azide in acetonitrile produces azide excited states that have broad absorption bands centered at 480 nm. The para-biphenyl azide excited singlet state has a lifetime of 100 fs. The excited-state lifetime of the ortho-azide isomer is 450 +/- 150 fs. Decay of the azide excited states is accompanied by the formation of the corresponding known singlet nitrenes (para, lambdamax = 350 nm, ortho, lambdamax = 400 nm). Singlet para-biphenylnitrene is born with excess energy and undergoes vibrational cooling with a time constant of 11 ps to form the long-lived (tau approximately 9 ns) relaxed singlet nitrene. Singlet ortho-biphenylnitrene decays with a lifetime of 16 ps in acetonitrile at ambient temperature.     

Ultrafast spectroscopic and matrix isolation studies of p-biphenylyl, o-biphenylyl, and 1-naphthylnitrenium cations

p-biphenylyl, o-biphenylyl, and 1-naphthyl azides were deposited in argon at low temperature in the presence and absence of HCl. In the absence of HCl, the known electronic and vibrational spectra of the corresponding triplet nitrenes, azirines, and didehydroazepines were observed, whereas in the presence of HCl, photolysis of these azides produces new electronic spectra assigned to the corresponding nitrenium cations. For p-biphenylyl azide the resulting spectrum of the nitrenium ion is very similar to the previously observed solution-phase spectrum of this species. The vibrational spectrum of this cation was recorded for the first time. Spectroscopic evidence for the previously unknown o-biphenylylnitrenium cation and 1-naphthylnitrenium cation are provided. The spectra of p- and o-biphenylylnitrenium cations and 1-naphthylnitrenium cation are well reproduced by CASSCF and CASPT2 calculations. The same nitrenium cations were detected in solution by femtosecond time-resolved laser flash photolysis of the appropriate azides in 88% formic acid. The transient spectra of the nitrenium cations recorded in solution are in good agreement with the spectra obtained in HCl matrices. The rates of formation of these cations equal the rates of decay of the singlet nitrenes in 88% formic acid and are as follows: p-biphenylyl (taugrowth = 11.5 ps), o-biphenylyl (taugrowth = 7.7 ps), and 1-naphthylnitrenium cations (taugrowth = 8.4 ps). The decay lifetimes of p- and o-biphenylylnitrenium cations are 50 and 27 ns, respectively. The decay lifetimes of 1-naphthylnitrenium cation is 860 ps in 88% formic acid.     

Synthesis of a novel indolobenzodiazepine

2-[(5-Methyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)methyl]benzenamine ( 15 ) was prepared in four steps from o-nitrophenyl-acetic acid, and treated with triethyl orthoformate in an attempt to prepare an oxadiazolobenzodiazepine. However, the resulting product was 13-(5-methyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-5H-indolo[2,1-b][1,3]benzodiazepine monohydrate ( 16 ). Indolobenzodiazepine 16 is the first reported member of a novel ring system. Interesting features of the synthesis of 16 are discussed, including the mechanism of formation from 15.     

Heterocyclic Ions From N-Oxides of N-(4-Nitrobenzylidene)-2-cyclopropylaniline and N-(4-Nitrobenzylidene)-2-cyclopropylmethylniline: Formation, Isomerization, and Conversions

The N-oxide of N-(4-nitrobenzylidene)-2-cyclopropylaniline is converted by the action of strong acids into the corresponding 2,1-benzoxazinium derivative. Under identical conditions the N-oxide of N-(4-nitrobenzylidene)-2-cyclopropylmethylaniline forms the corresponding 2,1-benzoxazinium and 2,1-benzoxazepinium salts in a ratio of 1 : 2. The 2,1-benzoxazepinium ions are thermodynamically less stable and are isomerized with time into 2,1-benzoxazinium ions. Treatment of 2,1-benzoxazinium salts with hydrobromic acid solution and subsequent neutralization leads to o-(2-hydroxyalkyl)anilines and p-nitrobenzaldehyde. The effect of the nature of the ortho substituent on the direction of the conversions of the corresponding arylcyclopropanes is discussed.     

Photocrosslinking reaction of vinyl‐functional polyphenylsilsesquioxane sensitized with aromatic bisazide compounds

Photochemical reactions of aromatic azide groups were applied for a novel photosensitive silicone ladder polymer, that is, partially vinyl‐substituted polyphenylsilsesquioxane sensitized with aromatic bisazide compounds as a photocrosslinker. The photocrosslinking reaction in this system was investigated from the viewpoint of the efficiency of the photocrosslinker, that is, the ratio of the photocrosslinker consumed for crosslinking. The numbers of photodecomposed azide groups and crosslinks in the polymer were determined by Fourier transform infrared measurements. At a higher bisazide concentration, the predominant reaction of nitrenes formed as the intermediary radical by the photolysis of azide was a coupling reaction that could not contribute to the gelation of the polymer. The ratio of the bisazide compound consumed for crosslinking showed the highest value at its concentration of 3 wt % and decreased with the addition of a larger amount. The semiempirical molecular orbital calculations were applied to the theoretical analysis of the photoreaction of nitrenes using phenylnitrene as a model structure. The calculation results indicated that the coupling reaction of nitrenes should proceed more easily than the photocrosslinking reaction in N₂ atmosphere, and the fact that the oxidation of nitrenes should proceed exclusively in the atmosphere including O₂ agreed with the experimental results. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 4196–4205, 2001