Sodium borohydride reduction of aromatic carboxylic acids via methyl esters

A number of important aromatic carboxylic acids precursors, or intermediates in the syntheses of natural products, are converted into methyl esters and reduced to the corresponding primary alcohols using a sodium borohydride-THF-methanol system. The alcohols are obtained in 70–92% yields in 2–5 hours, in a pure state. This two-step procedure not only provides a better alternative to aluminum hydride reduction of acids but also allows the selective reduction of esters in presence of acids, amides, nitriles or nitro functions which are not affected under these conditions.     

Micellar Mediated Halodecarboxylation of α,β‐Unsaturated Aliphatic and Aromatic Carboxylic Acids—A Novel Green Hunsdiecker–Borodin Reaction

A Novel Hunsdiecker‐Borodin reaction (HBR) has been carried out efficiently with α,β‐unsaturated aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids by using N‐halo succinimides such as N‐chloro succinimide (NCS), N‐bromo succinimide (NBS), and N‐iodo succinimide (NIS) under micellar media. The reaction with α,β‐unsaturated aromatic carboxylic acids afforded β‐halo styrenes in excellent yield while α,β‐unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids underwent decarboxylation and to give corresponding halo derivatives. The reactions are dramatically accelerated in micellar media. This procedure works efficiently in CTAB (cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide), SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate), and TX (Triton‐X‐100) media under stirred conditions at room temperature. At reflux temperatures the yield of reaction products were further enhanced from good to excellent.     

Steroids and sex hormones. Part 262. The radical induced stannane reduction of selenoesters and selenocarbonates: A new method for the degradation of carboxylic acids to nor-alkanes and for desoxygenation of alcohols to alkanes

Esters of carboselenoic acids, formed from carboxylic acids by conventional methods, undergo reaction with tributyltin hydride in inert aromatic solvents, either by heating to give the corresponding aldehyde or the corresponding alkane depending on reaction temperature and the structure of the parent carboxylic acid, or by ultraviolet irradiation at ambient temperature when the aldehyde is formed predominantly in high yield. In the case of esters of α, β-unsaturated carboselenoic acids the thermal reaction leads only to the corresponding aldehyde. The above stannane reduction can also be applied to selenocarbonates of primary and secondary alcohols (prepared from the corresponding chloroformates), to give the alkane, the parent alcohol and the corresponding formate, in relative amounts depending on the reaction temperature. These reactions thus constitute preparatively useful and high-yield degradation methods compatible with the presence of many other functional groups.     

Reduction of pentafluorophenyl esters to the corresponding primary alcohols using sodium borohydride

Primary alcohols and chiral N-protected 2-amino alcohols can be obtained in high yields from the reaction of pentafluorophenyl esters of the corresponding carboxylic acids with sodium borohydride in THF under mild conditions. This reductive method is rapid and compatible with various functional groups as well as with the most common N-protective groups Z, Boc and Fmoc.     

A combinatorially convenient version of synthesis of 5-substituted oxazole-4-carboxylic acid ethyl esters

Reaction of ethyl isocyanoacetic acid with sodium hydride in anhydrous benzene, followed by treatment with carboxylic acid chlorides or N-(acyloxy)pyrrolidine-2,5-diones, gives 5-substituted oxazole-4-carboxylic acid esters. The procedure is applicable to derivatives of various carboxylic acids, including saturated aliphatic, α,β-unsaturated, alicyclic, aromatic, heterocyclic, and N-Boc-protected amino acids.     

Synthetic transformations of higher terpenoids: XXII. Reactions of lambertianic acid derivatives with organozinc reagents obtained from ethyl bromoalkanoates

Reactions of 16-cyanomethyllambertianate with organozinc reagents obtained from ethyl esters of α-bromoacetic, α-bromopropionic, and α-bromobutyric acids gave the corresponding enaminoesters, β-ketoesters, and β-hydroxyesters of labdanoids whose yield depended on the reaction conditions and the structure of the α-bromoester. By Reformatsky reaction of 16-formylmethyllambertianate with α-bromoesters of carboxylic acids stereoisomeric β-hydroxyesters of labdanoids were synthesized.     

Synthesis of α,β-epoxy diazomethyl ketones

The preparation of eighteen epoxy diazomethyl ketones 1 is described. Two general methods were developed. Firstly, treatment of the mixed anhydrides of glycidic acids and carbonic acid ester with diazomethane led to the title compounds in yields ranging from 17–74%. Secondly, glycidyl chlorides which were obtained from sodium glycidates and oxalyl chloride, gave the desired products upon treatment with diazomethane (yields 60–74%). The required α,β-epoxy carboxylic esters were prepared by Darzens condensation and epoxidation of α,β-unsaturated esters, but in some cases also by reaction of α-oxo carboxylic esters with diazomethane.     

Facile synthesis of methylthiomethyl esters through Pummerer-type rearrangement of carboxylic acids and DMSO under metal-free conditions

A green and cost-effective Pummerer-type rearrangement between readily accessible carboxylic acids and DMSO has been achieved under metal-free conditions in satisfactory to excellent yields. The transformation for the synthesis of valuable methylthiomethyl esters is shown to be a convenient strategy for various (hetero)aromatic acids, α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids and saturated alkyl carboxylic acids with good functional group tolerance.     

A highly convenient,efficient, and selective process for preparation of esters and amides from carboxylic acids using Fe(3+)-K-10 montmorillonite clay

In the presence of Fe(3+)-K-10 montmorillonite clay as a catalyst, aliphatic carboxylic acids selectively produced the corresponding esters in the presence of aromatic carboxylic acids by treatment with alcohols. Both the aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids formed the amides by reacting with the aliphatic amines, but only the aliphatic carboxylic acids yielded the anilides by treatment with aromatic amines. The catalyst is recoverable and recyclable.     

CeCl3-Catalyzed Reduction of Methyl Esters of Carboxylic Acids to Corresponding Alcohols with Sodium Borohydride

A wide range of methyl esters, including esters of aromatic carboxylic acids, alkenyl carboxylic acids, aliphatic carboxylic acids, and protected amino acids, were reduced to the corresponding alcohols with NaBH₄ in ethanol in the presence of a catalytic amount of CeCl₃. The reaction was completed within 24 h at ambient temperature and showed high functional group compatibility and chemoselectivity. With esters containing nitro, methoxyl, halogen, alkenyl, and protected amino functionalities, only the ester group was reduced. The alcohols were isolated after evaporation of the solvent and routine aqueous workup in good yields (75–95%).     

S-(2-pyridinyl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethylthiouronium hexafluorophosphate. A new reagent for the synthesis of 2-pyridinethiol esters

[reaction: see text] A new thiouronium-based reagent for the synthesis of 2-pyridinethiol esters under non-nucleophilic conditions from the corresponding carboxylic acids was developed. The resulting procedure enables the preparation of previously unavailable alpha,beta-unsaturated 2-pyridinethiol esters as well as their aliphatic and aromatic counterparts.     

Spontaneous formation of PMB esters using 4-methoxybenzyl-2,2,2-trichloroacetimidate

Carboxylic acids are converted to the corresponding 4-methoxybenzyl (PMB) esters with 4-methoxybenzyl-2,2,2-trichloroacetimidate in the absence of an acid catalyst. This operationally simple procedure is a highly effective method for the formation of PMB esters. The reaction is promoted by the carboxylic acids themselves in excellent yields (72–99%). Sterically hindered carboxylic acids, which provide lower yields with other imidates, are esterified in higher yield with the more reactive PMB imidate. No racemization is observed in the case of carboxylic acids bearing an α-stereocenter, and no isomerization is observed with Z-α,β-unsaturated acids. This method may therefore find use in the esterification of complex or sensitive substrates where more common techniques lead to decomposition.     

Radical decarboxylative bromination of aromatic acids

Thiohydroxamic esters (mixed anhydrides) of aromatic and α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids undergo clean decarboxylative bromination on treatment with bromotrichloromethane in the presence of a radical initiator.     

A novel method for bromodecarboxylation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids using catalytic sodium nitrite

A first novel synthetic utility of catalytic sodium nitrite in combination with aqueous HBr, for bromo decarboxylation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid is described. α,β-Unsaturated carboxylic acid compounds successfully converted into corresponding bromo compounds. The advantages of this protocol are shorter reaction time and moderate to good yields.     

Über halogen- und stickstoffhaltige Derivate aliphatischer Carbonsäuren, 7. Mitt.: Über Gewinnung und Reaktionen von α-Nitrocarbonsäureestern

Esters of α-bromo-α-methyl carboxylic acids are reacted with NaNO₂ in water/alcohol to give esters of the corresponding α-nitro carboxylic acid. Some of these nitro esters can be characterized as amides. Activating groups (benzyl or acetyl group) decrease the stability of such tertiary α-nitro esters and give consecutive reactions.     

Chemoselective conversion of α-unbranched aldehydes to amides, esters, and carboxylic acids by NHC-catalysis

Depending on the N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst utilized, α-unbranched aldehydes selectively provided amides, esters, or carboxylic acids through oxidation by NCS. The α-unbranched aldehyde underwent these reactions chemoselectively in the presence of an aromatic or α-branched aldehyde.     

Chemical transformations of tetracyclo[3.3.1.1.<Superscript>3,7</Superscript>.0.<Superscript>1,3</Superscript>]decane (1,3-dehydroadamantane): I. Reaction of 1,3-dehydroadamantane with carboxylic acids esters

Adamantylation of carboxylic acids esters was performed with 1,3-dehydroadamantane for the first time. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions and can be used as a convenient single stage procedure for the synthesis of esters of branched carboxylic acids having an adamantyl group in the α-position to the carbonyl group.     

Improved Cs2CO3 Promoted O-Alkylation of Acids

Cesium carbonate mediated O-alkylation of carboxylic acids was efficiently carried out under mild in situ conditions to give the corresponding esters exclusively. Chiral templates including α-hydroxy and α-alkoxy acids were also converted to their corresponding esters with no observed racemization.     

Methylation of Aliphatic and Aromatic Carboxylic Acids with Dimethyl Carbonate under the Influence of Manganese and Iron Carbonyls

The synthesis of methyl esters has been carried out via the reaction of aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids with dimethyl carbonate in the presence of manganese and iron carbonyls. The optimal ratio of catalyst and reagents and other conditions for the synthesis of methyl esters of carboxylic acids with high yield have been found.     

A new synthesis of aldehydes from acids via reduction of N-acyl saccharins using sodium dihydro bis-(2-methoxy-ethoxy) aluminate

Synthesis of certain aldehydes from the carboxylic acids has been carried by reduction of the corresponding N-acyl saccharins using SDA. The N-acyl saccharins are easily prepared by reaction of an acid with γ-saccharin chloride, which can be used for the next step of reduction without isolation and purification. This provides a convenient and one step synthesis of aldehydes by combining the two reactions, viz., preparation of the N-acyl compound and its reduction. The method has been successfully applied for the reduction of aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic, and a α,β-unsaturated acids to the corresponding aldehydes and the yields obtained are quite satisfactory.